The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Chief Minister launches Hepatitis B immunisation

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Monday, Jan 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Chief Minister launches Hepatitis B immunisation

Special Correspondent

Karunanidhi also inaugurates mobile medical units

— PHOTO: S. R. Raghunathan

READY TO SERVE: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi interacts with newly recruited staff nurses after giving away their appointment orders at a function in Chennai on Sunday. Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Sunday pioneered the inclusion of the Hepatitis B vaccine in the routine childhood immunisation programme.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi launched the immunisation initiative, along with a slew of healthcare schemes, to make Tamil Nadu the first among the 15 States short-listed by the Centre for the Hepatitis B universal immunisation programme.

Mr. Karunanidhi also launched a 100-strong fleet of mobile medical units and a computerisation programme for Primary Health Centres, besides distributing appointment letters to 1,000 staff nurses and 66 sanitary inspectors.

Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami and Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy were present.

The Hepatitis B immunisation initiative targets an estimated 11.5 lakh newborns a year. The programme, which will cost Rs. 7.20 crore each year, will be implemented through all government hospitals, Primary Health Centres and health sub-centres.

The vaccine, declared by the World Health Organisation the seventh in the Expanded Programme of Immunisation, will be given within 72 hours of birth and will prevent vertical transmission (from mother to child), besides helping the children avoid lethal Hepatitis B-related complications.

The free-of-cost immunisation will run concurrently with BCG, TT, DPT, DT, polio and typhoid vaccination initiatives.

The mobile medical teams will take screening facilities for women, children and the elderly closer to rural people under the National Rural Health Mission. Each will provide easier access than the Primary Health Centre. The mobile team will comprise a doctor, nurse, paramedical staff and a sanitary worker.

The scheme, piloted in 2006-07, is expanded in response to the popular support it received, says a release.

The plan is to establish mobile teams one per block of one lakh of the population and cover all 385 blocks by next year, Public Health Director P. Padmanabhan said.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated a computerisation scheme for 1036 Primary Health Centres, which will be equipped with computers and the Internet connectivity.

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