TEHRAN, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran is planning to eradicate the risk of spreading hepatitis B virus via blood transmission, an Iranian health official was quoted as saying by semi-official Mehr news agency on Sunday.

Vaccinating blood donors and newborns against hepatitis are among the main plans of Iran to wipe out the risk of spreading such disease via transfusions, said Ali Akbar Pourfathollah, head of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization.

Special screening and testing programs are also the ways, which have had satisfactory results, he said.

With the blood donation rate of 27 per 1,000 people, Iran ranked the first place among 21 countries in Eastern Mediterranean region, said Iran's Blood Transfusion Organization Spokesperson Bashir Hajibeigi in mid-February.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world.