Vaccination, a hot issue

The ongoing measles outbreak in Romania has killed 25 and has infected over 64 hundred people. Therefore a new law on vaccination is on the Romanian Parliaments agenda.

Leyla Cheamil, 29.05.2017, 13:02

Romania is facing a measles epidemic, with the number of newly confirmed cases growing at an alarmingly fast pace. The Health Ministry has announced that over 64 hundred people have been infected so far, most of them in Timis County, in the west.

The number of deaths caused by measles exceeded 25, most of the victims being children. In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, doctors recommend a vaccination coverage of 95%, according to a two-dose vaccination schedule. In his turn, health minister Florian Bodog has said vaccination is the only way to prevent the disease.

He has said he is on point of solving the measles vaccine crisis, given that 110 thousand doses have already been sent to the public health county directorates, and contracts have been signed for purchasing another 300 doses. In turn, the president of the Romanian Microbiology Society, Alexandru Rafila, has drawn attention to that fact that between 5 and 7% of the parents refuse to vaccinate their children, and almost a third of them do not go to the doctor for the inoculation.

That is why, in an effort to contain the measles epidemic, in December 2016, the authorities initiated a supplementary vaccination campaign against rubella, mumps and measles, for children aged between 9 months and 9 years. Also, a vaccination bill will soon be debated by Parliament. A public debate has been held on this draft law, attended by doctors, parents and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry.

The parents who took part in the debate and who want vaccination to be a childs right and not an obligation, call for the withdrawal of the draft law. Also, they call on the authorities to assume responsibility for the side effects of the vaccines, and this way the Health Ministry will purchase good quality vaccines. Irina Anastasiu, representative of the Pro-Vita Federation of Orthodox Organisations in Romania says.

Irina Anastasiu: “We do not tell parents to vaccinate or not to vaccinate their children, we recommend to them to get informed on the side effects of the vaccines and we make the same recommendation to the Health Ministry, to inform parents correctly, given that thousands of cases of children the world over suffered following the inoculation. When well-informed, parents can make a decision on whether or not to vaccinate their children.

A director with the Health Ministry, Amalia Serban, has said all opinions will be presented to the working group, which drafted the vaccination bill.

Amalia Serban: “The group will draft and finalise a better bill, for all children to benefit from this right of being vaccinated.

It remains to be seen when the vaccination law comes into force given that immunisation is the only way to prevent the disease.