CHENNAI: The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine is conducting a special drive to vaccinate all the health care workers in all the government health institutions with Hepatitis B vaccine. Meanwhile, government hospitals observed the World Hepatitis Day on Friday.

While Hepatitis A and E are self-limiting disease without any disease sequelae, Hepatitis B, D and G are harmful viruses with silent disease progression resulting in liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Highlighting the prevention against Hepatitis B, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine Dr TS Selvavinayagam said that Hepatitis B vaccination is part of Universal Immunisation Programme and it is given immediately after birth to all the babies as birth dose within 24 hours and primary doses are administered at 6th week, 10th week and 14th week as Pentavalent Vaccine, which include Hepatitis as one of the 5 components.

“It is provided free of cost in all PHCs and other govt health institutions. The government is conducting a special drive to vaccinate all the government institution healthcare workers with Hepatitis B vaccine,” he said.

Meanwhile, an awareness programme was organised at Stanley Medical College and Hospital on Sunday. The hospital conducted outreach camps and vaccination was given for health care providers.

“In Government Stanley Hospital, about 800 Hepatitis B patients and 300 Hepatitis C patients are currently under treatment and medications are provided free of cost. Out of 19,896 high risk people screened, 81 tested positive for Hepatitis B and 22 for Hepatitis C,” stated Dean Dr P Balaji.