Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Health is urging healthcare workers and other high-risk groups to register for free vaccine jabs against the deadly Hepatitis-B virus.
The immunisation drive is part of the sultanate’s first ever ‘Vaccination Week’, which kicks off on Sunday. Health Minister Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saidi will join the WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr Hussein bin Abdulrazaq al Gezairi, in launching the ‘Vaccination Week’ celebrations. The weeklong, region-wide campaign aims to promote immunisation through advocacy, education and communication campaign.
Among the many activities planned as part of ‘Vaccination Week’, the Ministry is launching a Hepatitis-B immunisation drive targeted primarily at healthcare workers, intravenous drug abusers and HIV carriers, among other high-risk categories. Pregnant women registered with the Ministry will also be covered, given the risk of transmission to babies born to mothers infected with the Hepatitis-B virus.
Medical staff of public sector and private healthcare institutions, who have not previously been immunised against the dreaded disease, are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves for the Hepatitis-B shot.
Following the inclusion of the Hepatitis-B vaccine in the ministry’s routine immunisation programme in 1990, Oman has made impressive strides in rolling back the scourge.
A ‘catch-up’ immunisation campaign, targeting preparatory and secondary school children, was conducted during the 2001-2004 timeframe. Both initiatives have helped contribute to near 100 per cent immunisation coverage of all cohorts up to the ages of 27-28 years.
As part of Vaccination Week celebrations, the WHO and UNICEF have called on member countries to improve communication and dissemination of information, increase community demand for vaccination, and use a combination of innovative approaches and solutions to protect all people at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases.
