Hepatitis B vaccine available to all Ukrainians, free for children – Ministry of Health

Ukrainians should prioritize their health and get vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus. Oleksandr Zaika, Head of the Department for Infectious Disease Prevention and Immunization of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, emphasized this during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine.

“The situation with the spread of this virus in Ukraine is not critical. However, vaccination remains important. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial, but prevention is even better. Ukraine has been working on vaccination since 2002, when the hepatitis B vaccine was introduced to the national immunization program. Now, it is available to all Ukrainians, especially children,” Zaika said.

He noted that people born before 2002 are at higher risk because they were not included in the initial vaccination schedule. While the vaccine is not free for adults, children under 18 can receive it at the state’s expense. According to Zaika, the hepatitis B vaccine is completely safe and provides 50% protection after the first dose. A full course requires three doses.

According to WHO data, over 250 million people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis B. Only 10% of those infected were aware of their diagnosis, and just 2% of diagnosed patients had access to quality antiviral treatment.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news