KARACHI, June 23: Seven million people in the country are carrying Hepatitis-B virus, against which the government’s vaccination campaign has failed to receive adequate public response.

This huge ratio in Pakistan constitutes five per cent of the people, figured to carry Hepatitis-B virus, in the world. The situation places an enormous burden not only on the government, but also on patients compelled to spend millions of rupees on medical care, which largely remains unsatisfactory in the face of limited treatment options available.

Prevention of the disease through timely vaccination is cited as the most preferable treatment. Hepatitis-B can almost be prevented completely by providing vaccination against the infection in the first week after birth.

The government of Pakistan, which through the support of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has managed to include Hepatitis-B vaccination for infants in the routine Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) protocol, is yet to receive due public response.

According to EPI sources, despite all efforts to convince parents for getting their new borns vaccinated against the virus, only 58 per cent parents get their kids vaccinated in the first dose, which further declines to 38 per cent in third dosage.

In Sindh, only 30 per cent children below five years of age get vaccinated despite the fact that vaccines available with EPI are free of cost.

It is pertinent to mention here that the GAVI has committed to provide 60 per cent of its total support, for 23 countries of the entire Eastern Mediterranean Region, to Pakistan over the next five years, which is the second highest commitment made by the GAVI Board to any country.

The government of Pakistan had secured the commitment for a total grant of US$ 72.3 million from GAVI to support the country’s EPI.—APP