The Health Ministry is progressing with the scheme to achieve the goal to eliminate hepatitis B and C viral infection as public health challenges by 2030 as set by the World Health Organization.
“So far, nearly all prisoners, one of the main high-risk groups, have been vaccinated against hepatitis B,” said Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Guya, head of the ministry’s Center for Infectious Diseases. “Prisoners are compulsorily screened for the diseases, and free treatment is provided by the ministry.”
Based on official figures, HBV (hepatitis B virus) infection rate is less than 1% among people younger than 28 years of age, and less than 0.5% for those below the age of 22, IRNA reports. The prevalence rate of hepatitis B is less than 2% in all provinces except Sistan-Baluchistan and Golestan where it is a little above 2%. The decline can be attributed to implementation of the national immunization program that started in 1993 for infants and high-risk age groups.
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