The hepatitis B immunization campaign for children in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Hepatitis B has long been recognized as hyperendemic among persons residing in the western Pacific. Effective control strategies have not been described. From December 1988 through October 1989, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) conducted a campaign to immunize children through age 6 years with three doses of hepatitis B (HB) vaccine. In addition, HB vaccination was incorporated into the routine immunization schedule for all children born in FSM, with the first dose given to newborns. Between December 1988 and October 1989, a total of 64,085 doses of HB vaccine were administered to the children. After the start of the campaign, the subject group was enlarged to include children through 15 years of age in the States of Yap and Kosrae. Fifty-nine percent of the enlarged group in all States received a complete series of HB vaccinations. During each client encounter, individual immunization records were examined and diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus, oral polio vaccine, and measles-mumps-rubella antigens were administered to children who were not adequately immunized. The annual immunization assessment for 1990 showed coverage improved significantly from previous years in every FSM State.