Hepatitis-B vaccination programme was launched in the State for the first time, as part of a national immunisation programme by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
A pilot of the Prasuthi Aaaraike Yojane (PAY) for SC/ST women below the poverty line, during pregnancy and post-natal care was also launched at the inauguration of the pulse polio programme by Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Sunday.
The potent vaccine available for effective prevention of the Hepatitis-B infection and subsequently the disease is costly.
Hence, it was not included in the routine immunisation schedule but was taken up as a pilot in four districts of the State, Kodagu, BBMP, Mysore and Shimoga said Principal Secretary of the Department, Usha Ganesh.
The government of India has expanded the Hepatitis-B vaccination programme for the entire State based on the success of the pilot project.
 The vaccine will be administered to children below one year and GOI has recommended the vaccination schedule as 6th, 10th, 14th weeks (with DPT).
Hepatitis-B affects 30 per cent of the population, of which 350 million are diagnosed as chronic cases. One million die of this infection every year.