Chandigarh: Despite repeated directions and close monitoring at both the national and state levels, Punjab continues to lag in ensuring adequate coverage of Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and the Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns born to HBsAg-positive mothers.Official records under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme show that during the financial year 2025–26, up to Dec, only 287 out of 995 newborns born to HBsAg-positive mothers received HBIG within 24 hours of birth. This translated to a coverage of just 28.8%. Health experts underlined that newborns of HBsAg-positive mothers must receive both Hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG within 12-24 hours of birth to prevent mother-to-child transmission. Timely administration significantly reduces the risk of the child developing chronic Hepatitis B, which could later lead to serious liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. A delay or missed dose in the first 24 hours could have lifelong consequences. In a communication by the health department, civil surgeons across Punjab were informed that despite clear directions issued earlier, significant gaps continued to be observed, requiring urgent corrective action. Officials pointed out missing data and under-reporting of deliveries among Hepatitis B-positive pregnant women, no reporting of such deliveries from private institutions across all 23 districts of Punjab, and inconsistencies and mismatches in the data on Hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG administration when compared with reported deliveries, indicating possible backlog clearance or inaccurate reporting. The administration of HBIG within 24 hours of birth was reiterated as a key deliverable under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme. The issue was deliberated during the NPCC MoHFW meeting in New Delhi earlier this month. The district-wise data revealed sharp disparities. Pathankot reported that only 1 out of 34 eligible newborns received HBIG, reflecting 2.9% coverage. Fatehgarh Sahib recorded three out of 42 at 7.1%, while Muktsar reported five out of 62 at 8.1%. Tarn Taran recorded three out of 33 at 9.1%, Jalandhar 13 out of 121 at 10.7%, and Ferozepur four out of 33 at 12.1%. Several other districts, including Fazilka at 20%, Sangrur at 19.6%, Mohali at 22.2%, Gurdaspur at 23.5%, and Patiala at 24.2%, also remained far from universal coverage. While a few districts such as Barnala and Kapurthala showed higher percentages, the overall state average remained below 30%. Officials also noted that nearly 50% of deliveries took place in govt health facilities and the remaining 50% in private institutions, yet corresponding data was not adequately captured in monthly reports, pointing to serious reporting and coordination gaps. To address the shortfall, civil surgeons were instructed to take priority action. They were directed to ensure that all pregnant women testing HBsAg-positive were clearly labelled and tracked as high-risk pregnancy cases, with their details recorded and line lists updated at every level of service delivery. High-risk pregnancies must be mapped in advance with the govt or private health facilities where delivery was anticipated, so that there was no last-minute gap. Based on this mapping, uninterrupted availability of the Hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG must be ensured at all delivery points, including private institutions. Further, strict monitoring of Hepatitis B vaccine and HBIG administration for all newborns born to HBsAg-positive mothers in both public and private health facilities was mandated, with proper documentation and monthly reporting to the state division by the 10th of every month. District Nodal Officers under the programme were asked to work in close coordination with District Family Planning Officers, District Immunisation Officers, hospital gynaecologists, Senior Medical Officers, and MCH teams to ensure compliance and resolve discrepancies. Stress was also laid on active collaboration with private healthcare providers and the Indian Medical Association to ensure mandatory reporting of HBsAg-positive deliveries and timely administration of the vaccine and HBIG. Regular district-level reviews were ordered, and responsibility was to be fixed for under-reporting or non-compliance. MSID:: 128882466 413 |
