Hepatitis B is on the ruri

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 237, 29 March 1988, Page 3

Hepatitis B is on the ruri

A serious, debilitating disease in New Zealand is on the way out, thanks to efforts by Government and health authorities. Vaccination against Hepatitis B, a viral infection of the liver, is being offered free to all new born babies and children under the age

of 5 years, effective from February 29. The move is an attempt to reduce the high incidence of the disease in New Zealand where there is an estimated 60,000 t o 90,000 carriers. An example is the Bay of Plenty, where about 50 per cent of the children are infected by the time they leave school and one in ten is a carrier.

Another one in ten would have had a recognisable illness due to Hepatitis B by that ,time, 50 tim.es the rate in Britain.

Over the whole country about one child in every six is infected by the time they leave school. Long term carriers,

most of whom were infected as children, may develop liver disease later in life while vaccination at an early age prevents such damage. Numbers were steady at vaccination centres around the Waimarino last week as parents took advantage of the free service for babies and pre-schoolers. Waiouru Public Health Nurse Anne Whyte said the response to the clinics was positive, aided by widespread media coverage. Parents who were not able to take their children to any of the clinics can have them vaccinated by their family doctor.