Children from flooded areas will be vaccinated against viral hepatitis A

The children aged between 3 and 14 living in flooded areas will be immunized against viral hepatitis A, the director of the National Scientific Practical Center of Preventive Medicine Oleg Benes announced at a news conference, Info-Prim Neo reports. About 60,000 children will be vaccinated overall. Out of these, 15,000 are from the Transnistrian region, Benes said. But the vaccines will be administered early in September owing to legislative impediments. Presently, the Center has available financial resources to purchase only 10,000 doses of vaccines. The Health Ministry is looking for money to buy the other 50,000 doses. Health Minister Larisa Catrinici told the same news conference that if no foreign finances are found, the money will be allocated by the ministry. A vaccine against viral hepatitis A costs about 20 US dollars. The measure forms part of the Health Ministry’s strategy for preventing the spread of infections as a result of floods. At the same time, the number of compensated medicines has been increased so that the children will be provided with free vitamins when treated in ambulatory hospital.