Hepatitis B injections at subsidised rates

Manav Mander

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 28

Taking a major step towards providing better healthcare facilities, the state government has made hepatitis B injections tax-free. Now, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) will not be imposed on hepatitis B injections.

These injections will be available at subsidised rates at jan aushadhi centres of government hospitals and only service tax will be charged by these centres.

While vaccines to infants are provided free of cost under the national immunisation programme, injections such as interferon are given to adults if they are suffering from hepatitis B.

The injections will be available at government hospitals at Rs 3,443, while earlier it was being sold at Rs 4,820. At drug stores, the same vaccine is being sold at Rs 11,500. The Punjab Government has made a tie up with a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company that will be providing vaccines at the subsidised rates and Punjab System Health Corporation will be sending the demand of the vaccine every month to the said company.

The Health Department has shot letters to all Civil Surgeons of the state and directed them regarding the availability of injections at subsidised rates. In addition to this, 40 capsules, which also aid in the treatment of hepatitis B, will be provided free of cost, along with the vaccine.

Civil Surgeon Renu Chhatwal said injections for the treatment of hepatitis B would be provided at jan aushadhi centres at subsidised rates. Some changes had also been made in the treatment of hepatitis B.

Gursewak Singh, a patient suffering from hepatitis B, said the announcement had come as a major relief for him as it was difficult to shell out huge money for injections as he had minimal resources.

Some important questions regarding hepatitis B

Q: How can one get hepatitis B?

A: Hepatitis B virus is transmitted by contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person. HBV is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. The main ways of getting infected with HBV are perinatal (from mother to baby at the birth)

Q: What is hepatitis B virus?

A: HBV is a noncytopathic virus. This means that the virus itself does not cause direct damage to liver cells. Instead, it is the immune system’s aggressive response to the virus that usually leads to inflammation and damage to the liver (hepatitis).

Q: How effective is the hepatitis B vaccine?

A: Yes, hepatitis B vaccine is very effective in preventing hepatitis B virus infection. After receiving all three doses, hepatitis B vaccine provides more than 90 per cent protection to infants, children and adults immunised before being exposed to the virus.