USIBC Partners with the Rotary Club of Delhi Garden City to Fight Hepatitis
Corporate Social Responsibility Opportunity for USIBC Members
Hepatitis B is a major health problem in India. Approximately 50 million people are estimated carriers of the Hepatitis B virus. It has also been estimated that out of 25 million infants born each year, over one million run the lifetime risk of developing a chronic HBV infection. About 1% of these carriers are at risk of developing liver cancer estimating that approximately 500,000 Indians can die due to liver cancer. This virus can affect people of all ages.
The number of cases in India is increasing with each passing year due to the lack of awareness among the people about this disease. Although, the likelihood of a Hepatitis B virus infection becoming chronic is dependant upon the age at which a person becomes infected. 90% of infants infected during the first year of life develop chronic infections; 30% to 50% of children are infected between one to four years of age. Given these statistics, it becomes important to initiate a preventive measure for the next generation by ensuring vaccination in the ages of 6-17 years and to minimize the risk of any horizontal transmission. As it stands, both risks remain unfunded by the government. This accounts for an estimated 30% of the population out of which 1% of the high income groups alone may have been protected. The rest of the 29%, approximately 500,000 people currently have no access to this service.
This project has two important components vaccination and education.
1. Vaccination
• To ensure that each child who may not have been previously vaccinated receives all three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccination.
• To ensure adequate administration of the vaccinations including logistics, record keeping, HR capability and finance.
2. Education
• To develop an education program for marginalized communities. The key audience will be the decision-makers who would permit vaccination of their child.
• To implement an education program with the use of teaching aids in the local language
By making a contribution on behalf of your company, assist USIBC with meeting the target of vaccinating 15,000 children in New Delhi this year!
For more information please contact:
Greg Kalbaugh at gkalbaugh@uschamber.com or Sushmitha Narsiah at snarsiah@uschamber.com