Ministry of Health: Ukraine has 785,000 doses of measles virus vaccines

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According to the Public Health Center, Ukraine has 785,000 doses of measles vaccine, as of August 16.

According to the present legislation, vaccines are purchased only for the immunization of children. The decision to immunize adults at risk is taken in the response to a measles outbreak.

«The Prioriks vaccine is now supplied for MMR vaccinations in Ukraine. It is of high quality, effective and safe, provided by the State free of charge,» – informs the Public Health Center.

At the same time, it is noted that the Ministry of Health has approved an order to conduct free immunization of adults who are at risk. This decision was made in connection with the increase of the measles incidence among adults. In particular, this is about the expansion of morbidity in groups living in a common space (military, members of the Joint Forces Operation, students), as well as among educators and medics.

According to the specified order, during 2018 the mandatory preventive vaccinations against measles under epidemiological indications are provided among the groups of occupational risk: medical workers, educational institutions and non-medical workers of health institutions, representatives of law enforcement agencies (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, SBU, National Police, the State Security Service) and students of educational institutions without age limitation.

The Public Health Center noted that to immunize these adult groups, vaccines are available in all regions of Ukraine. According to operative data, during the 33rd week of 2018, 615 people – 301 adults and 314 children – became ill with measles, which is 20.23% less than the previous week.

Since the beginning of the year, 29,444 people have been ill with measles – 12,020 adults and 17,424 children. Most people got measles in Lviv (over 5.7 thousand), Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odessa Oblasts; in Kyiv (about 2 thousand) and Ternopil (1,58 thousand) area.

In total, 13 people died from measles complications in Ukraine since the beginning of the year: nine children and four adults.

As The Journalist reported, Ukraine has the highest incidence of measles in Europe.