The people refuse to be vaccinated or to have the children vaccinated because they consider that many of the diseases that are prevented by vaccination no longer represent a threat to their health or that the vaccine is more dangerous than the disease. According to epidemiologist of the Chisinau Public Health Center Tamara Manascurta, this attitude to vaccination is due to the defective communication between the doctor and patient. As a result, the patient does not get the necessary information about vaccination, contraindications and possible side effects.
Tamara Manascurta noted the vaccines save lives. The components of the vaccines are safe in the recommended quantities. To prevent epidemics, the population should be 95% vaccinated. Owing to immunization, no case of measles and rubella were recorded in Moldova in 2007-2008. There are no cases of poliomyelitis and diphtheria, but the diseases that can be prevented by vaccination didn’t disappear. There are yet cases of mumps. There were reported 33 cases of mumps in 2015 and 60 cases in 2016.
Convulsive cough is one of the most spread diseases that require immunization. In 2016, 156 cases of convulsive cough were recorded in Chisinau municipality, as opposed to 28 cases in 2015. Tamara Manascurta said the rise is due to the low vaccination rate among children - 83% of the required 95-98%.
As to side effects, the epidemiologist said these are minimal, but it is important to correctly determine the vaccine dose, while the person should be examined by a doctor before being immunized. Vaccination is not allowed if the person received treatment with immosuppressive drugs or has contraindications to one of the components of the shot.
Twelve vaccines are mandatory in Moldova, including against viral hepatitis B, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria and measles. Vaccines are administered in the medical institution at the place of residence. Each child benefits from immunization covered with state funds and all the children are mandatorily supervised in the post-vaccination period.
To underline the importance of vaccination as the most efficient method of infectious disease prevention, the European Immunization Week is marked in April. Moldova this year celebrates this week during April 24 – 30.
