Assessment of Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Workers in Taraba State

Healthcare workers are at elevated occupational risk of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection due to routine exposure to blood and body fluids. In Taraba State, North East Nigeria, systematic assessment of hepatitis B vaccination coverage among the healthcare workforce has not been conducted in recent years. This study evaluates the prevalence of complete HBV vaccination (three-dose series) and serological evidence of immunity among healthcare workers at Taraba State Specialist Hospital, Jalingo. A cross-sectional design will recruit 300 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and support staff through proportional stratified sampling. Vaccination records will be reviewed and supplemented by self-report. Blood samples will be collected to determine anti-HBs titres using ELISA, and adequate immunity will be defined as anti-HBs concentration at or above 10 mIU per millilitre. Factors associated with incomplete vaccination will be examined. Studies from comparable northern Nigerian settings indicate that fewer than 50 percent of health workers have received complete vaccination, with lower rates among non-clinical staff and those in rural health facilities. Findings will quantify immunity gaps among Taraba State's healthcare workforce and provide an evidence base for the hospital administration to implement mandatory occupational hepatitis B vaccination and post-vaccination serological testing programmes. Keywords: Hepatitis B vaccination, healthcare workers, Taraba State, occupational exposure, immunity