XN000022-1987-09-28 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,

1987

HEPATITIS VACCINATION FOR ALL BABIES IN 1988

**

*

THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO EXTEND ITS HEPATITIS B VACCINATION PROGRAMME TO COVER ALL NEW BORN BABIES IN A BID TO CURB THE SPREAD OF HEPATITIS B WHICH IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM IN THE REGION.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE NOW ABOUT 160 MILLION CARRIERS OF THE DISEASE IN ASIA.

THE RECOMMENDATION TO EXTEND THE PROGRAMME TO ALL BABIES WAS MADE BY THE HEPATITIS B VACCINATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH WAS FORMED IN LATE 1982 TO MONITOR AND ADVISE ON THE VACCINATION PROGRAMME.

THE NEW PROGRAMME IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED IN MID-1988.

AT PRESENT, ONLY BABIES BORN TO MOTHERS WHO ARE CARRIERS OF THE HEPATITIS B INFECTION ARE GIVEN THE VACCINATION AT GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.

UNDER THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME, ALL INFANTS BORN IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WILL BE VACCINATED AGAINST HEPATITIS B. AT THE SAME TIME, BABIES BORN IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS MAY ALSO BE REFERRED TO THE GOVERNMENT MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CENTRES FOR VACCINATION.

IN ADDITION, BABIES BORN TO MOTHERS WHO ARE CARRIERS WILL BE GIVEN HEPATITIS B IMMUNOGLOBULIN (HBIG) FOR EXTRA PROTECTION.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 92 PER CENT OF ALL NEW BORN BABIES IN HONG KONG WILL ATTEND THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CENTRES WHILE THE REMAINING ONES WILL GO TO PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,

YEAR.

THE EXTENDED PROGRAMME WILL COVER ABOUT 65,000 BABIES IN A

THE ANNUAL COST FOR THE VACCINE AND SCREENING OF THE EXPANDED PROGRAMME WILL BE ABOUT $10.5 MILLION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT YEAST-DERIVED VACCINE WILL BE USED FOR THE EXTENDED PROGRAMME IN PLACE OF THE CURRENTLY USED PLASMA VACCINE.

HE EXPLAINED THAT SINCE BOTH VACCINES HAVE PROVEN TO BE EQUALLY EFFICACIOUS AND SAFE THE YEAST VACCINE WAS PROCURED RECENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE LATEST TENDERING EXERCISE.

/THE ADVISORY