Lok Sabha Debates
Urged Upon The Central Government To Include Hepatitis-B Immunisation As A Mass ... on 10 August, 2001
Title: Urged upon the Central Government to include Hepatitis-B immunisation as a mass vaccination programme under the universal Immunisation Programme schedule of India.
DR. RAM CHANDRA DOME (BIRBHUM): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to raise an issue of national importance. In our country, it is estimated that about ten per cent of the population of global reservoir for Hepatitis B carriers is from our country and about four per cent is the prevalence rate of Hepatitis B carriers. So, the problem is very much on the agenda. It is also a dreadful disease, no less dreadful then HIV AIDS.
Unfortunately, for HIV AIDS we have our national programme but there is no definitive treatment for HIV AIDS or prophylectic management. But for Hepatits B, definite Prophyletic measures are there and already WHO has recommended for mass immunisation for the citizens. This immunisation programme should be brought to the universal immunisation programme of our country.
Till date, the Government could not do it, they have so many pleas. In one of today""s newspapers I read that the Government of Delhi have already initiated the programme on their own. As a token gesture, they have already made a provision for immunising the newly born children with Hepatits B vaccination. That is a good gesture and I congratulate them on taking this decision.
Sir, it is an enormous task for the nation.
The States cannot do immunisation of Hepatitis B on their own because it is very much costly till today. So, the Central Government should come out with a definite programme to include Hepatitis B immunisation as a mass vaccination programme and this mass vaccination programme should be brought under the Universal Immunisation Programme Schedule of our country.
This is increasing the health problem in our country. Sir, I have a document. It gives an alarming picture. One epidemiological study has been made by a voluntary organisation in my district very recently. The facts have been revealed that about 6.21 per cent population are having Hepatitis B carriers. It was a community-based study. This disease is prevailing throughout the country and particularly in the rural India among the tribals, among the backwards and those who are very much habituated of taking injections for their trivial medical course. So many quake physicians are there in our country and unfortunately, our people have to depend on them. They are not responsible for this. They have the minimum access to the modern health care facilities. Ignorance is also there. Due to use of contaminated injection, glass injection, syringe and needle, this sort of infection is progressing.
Therefore, it is a tremendous health problem coming up for the future and we have to protect our children from this dreadful disease, which is no less than HIV AIDS. Now, the time has come that the Government should come out with a concrete programme to bring Hepatitis B vaccination programme under the Universal Immunisation Programme Schedule of our country.
डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह (वैशाली) : सभापति महोदय, हैपीटाइटस-बी की बीमारी के हो जाने के बाद चार महीने तक १६०० रुपये प्रतदिन की सुईयां लगती हैं। इसलिए उसके टीके का इंतजाम होना चाहिए। लेकिन सरकार बेखबर है। गरीब आदमी को अगर यह बीमारी हो जाती है तो उसके लिए मरने की स्थिति हो जाती है।
सभापति महोदय : डॉक्टर रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह, अब आप बोलिये, आपके नोटिस का नम्बर आ गया है।