Dr. SK Sarin, ILBS Vice-Chancellor, said, “Our aim is to make up to 100 hepatitis B mothers ambassadors for the Womb program in the next year. They will educate themselves and in turn educate other mothers about how to lead a healthy life.”
On the occasion of the 25th edition of the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi on Saturday launched a special program – Victory over Hepatitis B Mothers (womb) to spread awareness about maternal transmission of hepatitis B to the child.
Dr. SK Sarin, ILBS Vice-Chancellor, said, “Our aim is to make up to 100 hepatitis B mothers ambassadors for the Womb program in the next year. They will educate themselves and in turn educate other mothers about how to lead a healthy life.”
ILBS will tie up with the Delhi government to attach more medical institutes to expand the reach of the program, Sarin added.
The Yellow Ribbon campaign, launched in 1998, aims to raise public awareness of viral hepatitis. This year’s theme was Eradication of hepatitis: social responsibility.
Data shows that at least 20-30% of the total hepatitis B infections in India are mother-to-child transmission. Records also show that in at least 90% of cases, an infected mother will pass the infection on to her child.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines hepatitis B as a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause both acute and chronic infections.
Chronic infection occurs in the majority (90%) of infants infected by their mothers before the age of five.