Study on Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination Coverage, Promoting the Same in a Private Rural Medical College, Karnataka, South In-dia

Abstract

Introduction: Administration of Hepatitis B vaccine at birth within 24 hrs prevents ~95% of perinatally acquired Hepatitis B Virus infections, averting 15% of total burden. Objectives of this study were to find out the baseline coverage of newborn vaccination especially HepB birth dose and to raise the HepB birth dose coverage in a Private Rural Medical College. Methodology: Newborn vaccination data of all live births between 01st April 2013 and 31st March 2014 was collected in the ‘Extended Immunogram tool’. Simple, doable promotive measures were operated between the last week of April and 31stAugust 2014. Results: HepB birth dose vaccination coverage was 56.1%. More infants were born (71.28%) in Private facilities with low coverage (43.35%) than in Govt facilities (28.71%) but with high coverage (87.76%) - p<0.001. HepB birth dose coverage within 24 hrs was 26.5% in the Medical College which rose significantly from 19% in April 2014 to 100% in July/August 2014 through intervention. Conclusion and recommendation: HepB birth dose coverage can be raised and sustained through simple doable measures. Display of newborn vaccination protocol as job-aid for uniform service delivery is recommended.

Keywords

• Immunization
• Newborn
• vaccination
• HepB
• birth dose
• Supportive Supervision