It shall be unlawful for any physician, nurse-midwife or midwife, practicing midwifery, or other health care professional to neglect or otherwise fail to instill or have instilled, immediately upon its birth, in the eyes of the newborn babe, the contents of a single-use tube of an ophthalmic ointment containing one percent tetracycline or one half of one percent erythromycin or the equivalent dosage of such medications or other appropriate medication approved by the director for prevention of inflammation of the eyes of the newborn. Every physician, nurse-midwife or midwife or other health care professional shall, in making a report of a birth, state the name of the appropriate medication which was instilled into the eyes of said infant. The director shall establish a list of appropriate medications for prevention of inflammation of the eyes of the newborn. The list shall be kept current and distributed to appropriate health care facilities and such other sources as the director may determine to be necessary.
Structure West Virginia Code
Article 3. Prevention and Control of Communicable and Other Infectious Diseases
§16-3-3. Communicable Diseases on Vessels or Trains; Offenses; Penalty
§16-3-4. Compulsory Immunization of School Children; Information Disseminated; Offenses; Penalties
§16-3-4a. Influenza Immunizations
§16-3-4c. Prohibiting Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination
§16-3-5. Distribution of Free Vaccine Preventives of Disease
§16-3-6. Nuisances Affecting Public Health
§16-3-7. Inflammation of the Eyes of the Newborn
§16-3-9. Inflammation of the Eyes of the Newborn -- Duties of Local Health Officer
§16-3-10. Inflammation of Eyes of Newborn -- Use of an Appropriate Medication as Prophylactic
§16-3-11. Same -- Duty of Clerk of County Commission
§16-3-12. Same -- Duties of the State Director of Health; Duties of Board of Health