108 thousand doses of vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) to provide free vaccinations for children.
The Ministry of Health reports this, Ukrinform reports.
“Vaccination protects not only the vaccinated child, but also children who, due to medical contraindications, do not have them. The school and organized groups where children study or attend must be safe for everyone. Therefore, if recommended vaccinations are missed, for example due to moving to another city, parents should contact the vaccination center or family doctor and catch up. This is a matter of individual protection for each child from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, — noted Deputy Minister, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Igor Kuzin.
The Ministry of Health recalled that the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (hereinafter MMR) is used for free vaccinations by age according to the National Preventive Vaccination Calendar. Each child should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine — at 12 months and at 6 years. Vaccination — are free of charge and allow you to form specific immunity against measles, mumps and rubella, or in case of illness, it is easier to bear it and avoid complications such as pneumonia, otitis (ear infection), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), panencephalitis (brain disease). There is no cure for measles, so vaccination — the only means of protection against the disease in the world.
Cor — a dangerous infectious disease that threatens unvaccinated children and adults. It is transmitted by airborne droplets and is extremely contagious.
108 thousand doses of the Belgian-made combined MMR vaccine were delivered to Ukraine by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) with the support of the Japanese government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in support of the National Immunization Program. It is noted that this supply of vaccines will provide one dose of vaccine for each of 100,000 children.
As reported, in 2023, 55 cases of measles were reported in Ukraine in 13 regions, among patients — 31 children. Last year, measles vaccination coverage in Ukraine among children under one year of age was 92.4%. At the country level, a nationwide vaccination catch-up campaign was announced in the summer of 2023. against measles. Within three months, as part of the “catch-up vaccination” 153,493 children were vaccinated against measles in children who, as a result of war, change of place of residence, or other circumstances, missed scheduled vaccinations. Among them, 68,488 children aged 2 to 17 years received the first vaccination, the second dose of the vaccine — 85,005 children aged 7 to 17 years.
Photo: Ministry of Health