Healthcare workers are highly vulnerable to hepatitis infection while on duty. The government will offer them vaccination against hepatitis B in 2022.
By
DEONISIA ARLINTA
·3 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Healthcare workers are among the groups liable to be infected with hepatitis. The government plans to provide hepatitis B vaccines for these workers starting in 2022.
At present, the prevalence of hepatitis infection, especially hepatitis B, among healthcare workers is 10 times as high as that in the general population. Hepatitis B and C can give rise to serious complications, even causing death.
Chairman of the Indonesian Liver Research Association, Irsan Hasan, said there was currently no special program yet from the government for the protection of healthcare workers from hepatitis infection. In fact, these workers face a high risk of hepatitis infection from patients, through both the blood and other body fluids, during treatment as well as laboratory handling.
“Healthcare or social officers with the risk of exposure to infectious body fluids should be able to secure protection through vaccination against hepatitis B,” said Irsan during a break at a press conference on World Hepatitis Day 2021 held virtually on Wednesday (28/7/2021).
Healthcare or social officers with the risk of exposure to infectious body fluids should be able to secure protection through vaccination against hepatitis B.
In this context, the Health Ministry’s director of infectious disease prevention and control, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said healthcare workers would start being offered hepatitis B vaccination in 2022. “It’s because some preparations are still needed for the implementation of this policy,” she added.
Kompas
Children under five and children participate in vaccinations at the Ciracas District Health Center, East Jakarta, Monday (18/7). The vaccines given are DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus), HB (hepatitis B), and HiB (haemophilus influenza type B) vaccines, as well as oral polio vaccine (OPV).
Based on a cohort study conducted in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, during 2013-2017, the incidence of getting punctured or injured among healthcare workers was 13.3 cases per 1,000 people. The majority of such cases occurred when using devices and before discarding tools.
Basic Health Research 2013 recorded the prevalence of hepatitis B in Indonesia at 7.1 percent or around 18 million people. Fifty percent of the total had a chronicity risk. Cases of hepatitis C prevailed among 2.5 million people.
Early detection
Siti Nadia indicated that the government had determined to achieve the target of eliminating hepatitis B in 2030 and hepatitis C in 2040. This effort is undertaken by conducting early detection of hepatitis B on at least 90 percent of pregnant women that is integrated with HIV and syphilis examinations. Early detection of hepatitis C will also be performed on at-risk groups, such as intravenous drug users, people with HIV/AIDS, penitentiary inmates and hemodialysis patients.
The government is also striving to increase hepatitis C services in 34 provinces from those already available in 18 provinces. The hepatitis services are provided in 40 hospitals equipped with examination facilities and supplied with free medication for patients.
Separately, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the upstream control of infectious diseases, including hepatitis, would considerably determine the weight of pressure on the downstream side, involving hospitals. “This will also determine the future condition of life. Therefore, we make sure that protection will be provided in an optimal way,” he said.
