Hepatitis-B vaccine shortage,August stock yet to arrive

Company officials have told the state immunisation department that batches of the vaccines were being cleared by the government laboratory at Kasauli in Hyderabad. On Saturday,in a meeting,district officials of the immunization department also said their areas were reeling under vaccine shortage.

Dr Sunil Tore,immunization officer at PMC,said that Hepatitis B vaccine has been included in the national immunization schedule. It enables the body to produce antibodies against Hepatitis B. The course consists of three doses: First dose at an elected date,second dose once the infant is a month old and third at six months after the first dose.

“For the past four months we have been unable to give the vaccine along with BCG and OPV vaccines at our 42 dispensaries and major hospitals run by the PMC including Kamala Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi hospitals,” says Tore. “We have requested for the stock of vaccines but have been told there is no supply from the government.”

Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar,former president of the city unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that private practitioners did not face much of a problem as they could purchase vaccines from chemists. It is an important vaccine in the immunization schedule as a baby,if born to a chronically infected mother,has 70-90 per cent chance of being infected at birth.

When contacted,Government of India immunization officials assured that there was no shortage of vaccine but they had problems pertaining to procurement of the vaccine. Orders have been placed and we are waiting for the supply,the officials said.