Plea to immunise all new-born babies

Press, 21 July 1986, Page 5

Plea to immunise all new-born babies

PA Whakatane Immunisation of all new-born babies and a one-off catch-up programme for preschoolers has been recommended to the Health Department after a two-day seminar on hepatitis B in Whakatane. The seminar was called by the Whakatane hepatitis B research team and two leading drug companies. The chairman, Dr Keith Ridings, of the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board, said local people thought there was such a "degree of urgency” attached to the information gathered in the area that he and the team wanted to share it with people who were dealing with the problem as soon as possible. The doctors present, along with Health Department officials, Abated

the findings of the Eastern Bay of Plenty research team, and discussed methods by which a prevention programme could be implemented for maximum effectiveness among high risk areas. Acting as advisers were two world experts on hepatitis B, Professor Saul Krugman, of New York, and Dr Ron Lucas, of Melbourne. A programme of recommended doses was formulated at the seminar, showing levels of “acceptability” much lower in new-born babies and preschoolers than the manufacturers’ ideal.

The group also said that implementation of the recommended programmes should not be delayed by further surveys.

The recommendations which were formulated at the conference were to be

“tidied up” and sent to all involved parties, those who attended, and the Minister, Dr Bassett, as soon as possible. .