Tolit Ivan
The Ministry of Health, with support from development partners, on Friday launched the newly introduced hepatitis B birth dose vaccine (HepB-BD) in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the deadly liver disease.
Infants born to infected mothers face a risk of up to 90% of developing chronic infection if not immunized at birth, according to the World Health Organization.
The vaccine, administered to newborns within 24 hours of birth, provides immediate protection against hepatitis B virus, which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer.
While addressing journalists during the commemoration of the World Hepatitis B in Acholi-Bur Town Council, Pader District, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Ministry of Health, said the addition of Hepatitis B Birth Dose to National Immunization Schedule is a critical step in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
Uganda has been expanding its hepatitis B prevention programs over the past decade, with vaccination campaigns targeting older populations in high-burden regions.
The new policy now aligns the country with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, which emphasize the importance of timely birth doses to achieve global elimination targets by 2030.
