Hepatitis B vaccination for City Garden Clinic staff

Hepatitis B is a very common infection in Sierra Leon, but can have severe consequences. Hepatitis B can cause severe liver cirrhosis and even cancer of the liver. These conditions we see regular in City Garden Clinic, so we know the consequences of Hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B is transmitted from person to person via blood or sexual intercourse. This is much easier transmitted then HIV.

Hepatitis B is especially a high risk for health care workers, as they come in contact with blood a lot. A small wound when spill on your skin, a needle stick accident when extracting blood in the lab or when trying to place a canula or even bigger cut with the blade in theatre….

But hepatitis B is preventable by vaccination!

In many countries all healthcare workers are vaccinated, but not so in Sierra Leone. But City Garden Clinic wishes to protect their staff from Hepatitis B and started to give all employees an opportunity to get tested and when tested negative, to receive the vaccine.

The first vaccine was given in May, the second vaccine in June and the last will be due in November.

The vaccines are quite expensive, and actually requires a titer test after the third shoit, as a few individuals might not make enough antibodies with three shorts and might require a fourth. This test is available in Freetown, but unfortunately unaffordable for us to have every vaccinated employee tested…

We are very happy to be able to provide some protection to our staff as they are very important to the clinic!
… even though the shorts are quite painfull….