Vaccination against viral hepatitis B for public health personnel: the case of the National Fund of Social Security

Viral hepatitis B is endemic in Tunisia at an intermediate level. Health professional are a group particularly exposed to the infection. Immunization is the most efficient way to prevent this disease. In this study, we had try to estimate the cost of three strategies of immunization: immunization after a complete serology, immunization after a sequencial serology and immunization without previous serology. The study was conducted at the clinic of the National Fund of Social Security in El Khadra. All the personal of the clinic was invited to participate to a program of immunization after complete serology. Participation rate was at 93.8%. 33.3% of the personal was immunized (24% by a previous contact with the virus and 9.9% by a previous immunization). The costs of the three strategies were as below: immunization after complete serology: 53.4 tunisian dinars by person. immunization after sequantial serology: 33.06 tunisian dinars by person. immunization without serology: 16.2 tunisian dinars by person. Immunization without previous serology has the lower cost, and doesn't expose at any sid effect. However, a post immunization serology vaccinal should be desirable.