Tripura to vaccinate rural populace against hepatitis B

May 28, 2008

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Wednesday May 28 2008 00:00 IST

PTI

AGARTALA: The Tripura government has decided to vaccinate rural people against

hepatitis B, following reports that 12 per cent of the state's total Muslim

population and eight per cent of tribal population are suffering from the

disease.

“The disease is fast emerging as the major killer disease in the state among

tribals and Muslims as the hepatitis virus is spreading due to bad food habit,

drinking of contaminated water and abuse of drugs”, state health Minister Tapan

Chakraborty told reporters.

He said 52 per cent of those infected with hepatitis B in Tripura were in the

age group of 21-40 years.

Chakraborty said, in the nineties, about 80 per cent people in Taiwan were

affected by hepatitis but within a few years the figure was brought down to 20

per cent.

“We have drawn an action plan and asked for Rs 70 crore from the centre to

control the disease”, he said.

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