Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect a child’s health, however, the process of immunizing children with the MMR (MRP) vaccine in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is below a satisfactory level. This worries experts, who warn that peoplecould once again encounter epidemics of long-eradicated infectious diseases.
MMR is a vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and children between the ages of 12 months and 14 years of age are required to be vaccinated. Immunization with the first dose of the vaccine includes children from the age of 12 months, while the second dose is given to children at the age of six. However, if children cannot be vaccinated at that age for some reason, vaccination can be done until they reach 14 years of age.
Even though there is the extreme importance for preserving health, in BiH there has recently been a decline in the immunization of children with the MMR vaccine, which is worrying information. According to the interlocutor, the decrease in the number of vaccinated children was mostly influenced by insufficient information and knowledge of parents about vaccination, that is, parents’ information from non-professionals and certain Internet forums. The anti-vaxxer lobby also had a big influence.
“Parents are confused to a great extent, because on the one hand they are not sufficiently educated about vaccination, and on the other hand they are exposed to unfounded stories about the supposed harmfulness of vaccines. We must know that vaccines are immunobiological preparations that, when introduced into a person’s body, stimulate that person’s immune system to createantibodies against the disease against which the person/child was vaccinated and to protect him in this way. Every parent who has doubts about vaccination should talk to a pediatrician and remove doubts because the child’s well-being and health is the main goal of the health profession,” emphasized Brkic-Dzambic.
According to the order on the program of compulsory vaccination of the population against infectious diseases in the territory of the Federation of BiH (FBiH), if a child is not vaccinated with the MMR vaccine by the age of six, vaccination compensation can be done until the age of 14.
Vaccination against measles, rubella and parotitis can be carried out according to epidemiological indications in persons over 14 years of age. Recovered measles is not a contraindication for vaccination with the MMR vaccine.
“Vaccines are safe, because before they come to our country, they all undergo rigorous controls by the European Medicines Agency. After they come to BiH, vaccines undergo quality control before being put on the market, which is defined by the rulebook on the method of drug control, carried out by from the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of BiH or from a laboratory hired by the agency, in accordance with the Law on Medicines and Medical Devices of BiH. After the agency gives approval, the vaccines are put into circulation and transported to the end users,” explains the Tuzla epidemiologist.
The health benefit of vaccination is certainly great considering the fact that many diseases that claimed millions of lives in the past have been eradicated today.
