The Health Ministry’s department for infectious diseases will provide free hepatitis B vaccination to all regular blood donors [those who have donated blood more than twice in the past], director general of Tehran Province Blood Transfusion Organization, Morteza Tabatabaee said.
“All qualified donors, aged 25 and above, can visit the IBTO center located at Vesal Street between September 2-8 to receive their first dose of free hepatitis B vaccination,” IRNA quoted him as saying.
He added that the recipients should get another two doses of the vaccine, two and sixth months later respectively.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. It is estimated that currently 1.4 million people are infected with the virus in the country. The virus is highly contagious and is transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluids of an infected person. “Hepatitis B is preventable with currently available safe and effective vaccines,” said Tabatabaee.
According to figures released by IBTO, each year on average 2.1 million Iranians voluntarily donate blood. Of this figure, 7% are women and 93% are men.
Among donors, 43% are categorized as regular blood donors. The rate of blood donation in Iran is 27 units per 1,000 people.
