MBALE– Residents of Busoba Sub-County in Mbale District have raised concern over shortage of hepatitis B vaccines at Lwangoli health Centre III.
The residents said during a community meeting at Busoba sub-county on Saturday that the health centre has been without the vaccines for long.
Mr Johnson Wamusi, a resident said when he visited the facility last week; he was told by health workers that there were no vaccines.
“I was surprised when I found that there were no vaccines after walking along distance to the facility,” he said.
Mr Amos Shaka, the LCIII chairperson of Busoba Sub County pledged to follow up with the concerned authorities.
Hepatitis B vaccine is produced by recombinant DNA technology, most commonly in yeast.
The complete vaccination series consists of three doses of vaccine; the first two doses are usually given 1 month apart, with the third dose 1–12 months later. The WHO-recommended schedule for hepatitis B immunization of children consists of a dose within 24 hours of birth followed by a second and third dose of hepatitis B-containing vaccines at intervals of at least 4 weeks.
A complete series of immunization provides protection for at least 25 years and, according to current scientific evidence, probably for life. Boosters are not recommended for routine immunization programmes.
Because of the prolonged incubation period of hepatitis B, some protection will be afforded to most travellers following the second dose given before travel. However, the final dose should always be given.
