Eastern Health Board. Thornton, Lelia and O'Sullivan, Patrick and Barry, Joseph and Fitzgerald, Martin and Hickey, Lorraine and O'Connor, Aideen and Scully, Mary (2000) Hepatitis B infection: surveillance and control in the Eastern Health Board, from policy to practice. Dublin: Eastern Health Board.
Hepatitis B infection may result in serious illness and death. Although Ireland has a relatively low rate of hepatitis B infection, notifications of the disease have risen in the Eastern Health Board (EHB) region in the past two years. Adequate control of hepatitis B at population level is dependent upon good systems for surveillance and contact tracing, as well as implementation of appropriate immunisation programmes. A safe and effective hepatitis B vaccine is available. This report makes several recommendations in regard to hepatitis B in the EHB. The National Immunisation Guidelines on Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) vaccination should be fully implemented in the EHB, with a nationally agreed arrangement whereby GPs are paid to deliver HBV vaccine free to their at-risk patients, regardless of general medical services eligibility. The report also calls for an audit of vaccination uptake by the relevant EHB services, a HBV surveillance and contact tracing service at Area Health Board (AHB) level, delivered by a designated Area Medical Officer and a contact tracer, and supported by a clerical officer and co-ordination at EHB level by a designated specialist in Public Health Medicine.
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland > Dublin
G Health and disease > Disorder by cause > Communicable / infectious disease > Hepatitis B
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland > Wicklow
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and rehabilitation > Health related issues > Health information and education > Communicable / infectious disease control
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