As more and more
\ncases of measles have been reported in Romania, healthcare experts warn that
\ncompulsory immunisation schedules must be observed, saying vaccines save lives.
\nOver 600 cases of measles have been registered and three infants have died
\nsince the beginning of the year, which prompted authorities to launch an
\nepidemic alert last week. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
An immediate analysis
\nof the national defence measures against this disease has been requested in
\nthis context. According to the reports initiated by the County Healthcare
\nDirectorates, a large number of children have not received the vaccine. Civil
\nsociety was quick to respond, and the Ombudsman stepped in and asked the
\nHealthcare Ministry to explain why the bill on compulsory immunisation has been
\nstuck since April. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Family doctors
\nand healthcare officials blame parents who refuse to have vaccines given to
\ntheir kids, although in Romania this is not required by law. The line ministry
\nhas announced a large-scale campaign would be launched to present the benefits
\nof the measles vaccine and to reduce the number of children who have not had
\nit. Here is dr. Gindrovel Dumitra, the coordinator of the vaccines task force
\nof the National Society of Family Medicine:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
This is a
\nwarning, coming not only from us, family doctors, but also from the
\nauthorities, that certain infectious diseases, supposedly eliminated at
\npresent, might resurface. For the time being, smallpox is the only disease that
\nhas been eradicated, and polio has been eliminated. The World Health
\nOrganisation had set 2015 as the deadline by which both measles and rubella
\nshould have been eradicated in Europe, but as we can see, this has not
\nhappened. And we fail to reach these targets because of elements that we cannot
\nforesee.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Romania has one
\nof the largest numbers of deaths among children under 5 in the European Union,
\naccording to data released by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation. Experts
\nsay vaccination is an efficient means to reduce child death rates. A
\nvaccination bill, which is currently under review by the authorities, might
\nregulate the field more strictly. For instance, all public and private providers
\nof immunisation services will have to register with the National Electronic
\nVaccination Registry, which will provide the authorities with the centralised
\nand up-to-date information they need in order to draw up relevant national
\nstrategies.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A measles epidemic has raised questions about the public vaccination system in Romania.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":70122,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[38635,30941],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-70121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-childhood-vaccination","tag-measles-epidemic"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n