{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1884571,
        "msgid": "indonesia-says-hepatitis-b-risk-remains-high-despite-immunisation-1785163809",
        "date": "2026-07-27 20:46:55",
        "title": "Indonesia says hepatitis B risk remains high despite immunisation",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_EN",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "Indonesia's hepatitis B immunisation programme has drastically reduced transmission among children, with prevalence in 1-4 year-olds falling to 0.1 percent, meeting WHO elimination targets. However, the adult population still reflects high transmission rates from before universal vaccination, with 2.4 percent active prevalence and only 24.3 percent possessing protective antibodies. Health experts are calling for expanded catch-up vaccination, risk-based screening, and improved access to treatment to address the remaining disease burden and prevent progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer.",
        "content": "<p>Health Ministry Hepatitis Expert Committee chairman Dr David H\nMuljono said in Jakarta on Monday that Indonesia is undergoing an\nepidemiological shift in hepatitis B, with infections declining among\nyounger generations but remaining a concern among adults.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTransmission among generations that received immunisation as infants\nhas declined drastically, while the disease burden among adults still\nreflects the high level of transmission that occurred before universal\nimmunisation was introduced,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Data from Indonesia\u2019s 2023 Health Survey showed that the prevalence\nof active hepatitis B among children aged 1-4 was 0.1 percent, well\nbelow the World Health Organization\u2019s target for eliminating hepatitis B\namong children.<\/p>\n<p>Muljono said the result demonstrated the effectiveness of Indonesia\u2019s\nhepatitis B immunisation programme.<\/p>\n<p>Across all age groups, however, the prevalence of active hepatitis B\nstood at 2.4 percent, while 19.7 percent of the population showed\nevidence of previous exposure to the virus.<\/p>\n<p>Only 24.3 percent had protective antibodies against hepatitis B, the\nsurvey showed.<\/p>\n<p>He said Indonesia\u2019s prevention strategy should therefore extend\nbeyond infant immunisation to include older age groups, including\nthrough catch-up vaccination.<\/p>\n<p>The country also needs to expand risk-based screening, improve access\nto laboratory testing and early diagnosis, and increase access to\ntreatment to prevent hepatitis B from progressing to cirrhosis and liver\ncancer, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Muljono said updated WHO guidelines had expanded recommendations for\nantiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis B, allowing more patients to\nreceive treatment before developing serious complications.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIndonesia has demonstrated that eliminating hepatitis is not an\nimpossible goal. Achieving the WHO target among children shows that\nevidence-based policies can change the epidemiology of a disease within\na generation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Related news: Indonesia bolsters strategy to eliminate hepatitis B, C\nby 2030<\/p>\n<p>Related news: Hepatitis B mostly transmits from mother to child:\nministry<\/p>\n<p>Related news: Why hepatitis is a lurking global health threat<\/p>\n<p>Translator: Mecca Yumna, Kuntum Khaira<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-says-hepatitis-b-risk-remains-high-despite-immunisation-1785163809",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}