RAWALPINDI, March 2: The health department on Saturday started vaccinating house officers in city’s public hospitals against Hepatitis B.

The project, conceived almost a year ago but later put on the back-burner, was reactivated in the wake of the death of a Holy Family Hospital house officer, Dr Farzana, who had contracted Congo Fever from a patient.

Ever since Dr Farzana’s death a few days ago, the city doctors have been demanding vaccination against common diseases, particularly hepatitis, which afflicts almost 10 per cent of the population in active or dormant form.

Punjab health minister Dr Mehmood Ahmad Chaudhry during his visit to Holy Family Hospital a couple of days ago directed the principal executive officer of Rawalpindi autonomous hospitals, Dr Nassemullah, to get the house officers vaccinated.

Doctors other than house officers have also demanded similar vaccination cover for themselves. The demand has been forwarded to the concerned quarters and is likely to be accepted.

Meanwhile, the doctors at Holy Family Hospital rejected as insufficient the Rs200,000 compensation announced by the government for Dr Farzana’s death. The deceased doctor’s colleagues are demanding Rs2m in compensation.