The legal framework
India introduced hepatitis B into its universal immunisation programme nationwide in 2011, with a birth dose for institutional deliveries followed by the combined vaccine. Prevalence is intermediate, but given the population the absolute number of chronic carriers is among the largest in the world, and the overwhelming majority are undiagnosed.
India introduced hepatitis B into the universal immunisation programme nationwide in 2011, with a birth dose for institutional deliveries. The birth dose is the weak point: a large share of births still occurs without it being given within twenty-four hours, and that is where chronic infection continues to be created. Prevalence in the general population is intermediate.
Key points
| Birth dose | Part of the universal immunisation programme since 2011, for institutional deliveries |
|---|---|
| Home births | A gap: the birth dose is frequently missed |
| Antenatal screening | Part of routine antenatal care in the national programme |
| Prevalence | Intermediate, but very large in absolute numbers |
| Diagnosis | The great majority of carriers are undiagnosed |
| Treatment | Free antiviral treatment through the national viral hepatitis programme |
| Unsafe injections | A documented contributor to transmission |
In practice
- Ask for the birth dose within 24 hours; if delivering at home, take the baby for vaccination immediately.
- Free treatment is available through the national viral hepatitis programme — ask at a district hospital.
- Have household members of a carrier tested and vaccinated.
- Insist on new, single-use syringes for any injection.
Cost and coverage
Vaccination and, through the national viral hepatitis programme, testing and treatment are free.
Where to go
- District hospitals and treatment centres of the national viral hepatitis programme.
- Primary health centres for vaccination and antenatal screening.
- Regional institutes of liver disease.
Worth knowing
The national programme provides free testing and free antiviral treatment. Many people pay privately because they do not know it exists.
Frequently asked questions
Is the birth dose given in India?
It is part of the programme for institutional deliveries, but coverage within the recommended twenty-four hours is incomplete, particularly for home births and in some states. If you are giving birth, ask explicitly for the birth dose — do not assume it will be given automatically.
Why does the birth dose matter so much?
Because transmission from mother to baby at birth is the route most likely to produce a lifelong chronic infection — an infant infected at birth has a very high chance of never clearing the virus, whereas an adult usually does. A vaccine dose within twenty-four hours of birth, with immunoglobulin where the mother is positive, prevents this in the great majority of cases.
Official sources and links
- India.gov.in — national portal of India
- India Code — central and state legislation