Impact of hepatitis B birth dose on immune response in Pakistani children: an open-label, non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, implications for achieving SDG target.

Background: Despite presence of hyperendemic areas, the national immunisation schedule in Pakistan does not include a hepatitis B birth dose, placing newborns at an additional risk of acquiring hepatitis B. This study aimed to assess the impact of adding hepatitis B birth dose in existing national vaccination schedule.

Methods: An open label, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial enrolled 296 healthy near-term mothers to intervention and control groups.

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage in medical students at a medical college of Mirpurkhas.

Objectives: To estimate the coverage of Hepatitis B vaccine in medical students enrolled in a private Medical College.

Methods: This cross sectional study was done at Muhammad Medical College Mirpurkhas. It has a total of 375 medical students from first year to final year.

Seropositivity of hepatitis C in prison inmates of Pakistan--a cross sectional study in prisons of Sindh.

Objective: To assess the proportion of seropositivity of Hepatitis C amongst the prison inmates in the jails of Sindh.

Methods: A cross sectional HCV seroprevalence survey was done at 14 out of 19 prisons in the Sindh province from November 2008 to January 2009. A team of Pathologist, phlebotomist and laboratory technician took the blood sample of the inmates inside the correctional facility; the blood was centrifuged at the spot and brought back to the pathology laboratory on same day in cold chain i.