Vaccinations for 120,000 babies

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: A total of 120,000 babies, born between March 1, 1997 and March 1, 1998 will be given free Hepatitis B vaccinations, a chief of the local health office announced yesterday.

Aswandono was quoted by Antara as saying that up to mid-April about 3,000 babies had already been vaccinated.

The vaccination program started in 1992 and was meant to bolster infants' immunity and reduce the infant mortality rate.

The province's infant mortality rate was 200 deaths per 100,000 live births in the 1980s but the current rate is 80 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Aswandono said 70 percent of the deaths were caused by septic delivery assisted by untrained, traditional midwives.

Governor Warsito said efforts to develop health facilities and increase the number of doctors would continue. (01)