108 thousand doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine have been delivered to Ukraine for free vaccinations for children. This was reported on Tuesday by the press service of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, UNN reports .
Details
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), with the support of the Government of Japan and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), delivered 108 thousand doses of the Belgian MMR combination vaccine to Ukraine to support the National Immunization Program.
Reportedly, each child should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine - at 12 months and 6 years of age. The Ministry of Health noted that vaccinations allow for the formation of specific immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella. Also, in the event of an illness, vaccinated children tolerate it more easily without such complications as pneumonia, otitis media (ear infection), encephalitis (brain inflammation), and panencephalitis (brain disease). The agency also emphasized that there is no cure for measles, so vaccination is the only means of protection against the disease in the world.
According to the Ministry of Health, measles is a dangerous infectious disease that poses a threat to unvaccinated children and adults. It is transmitted by airborne droplets and is extremely contagious.
For reference
In 2023, 55 cases of measles were reported in Ukraine in 13 regions, with 31 children among the patients. Last year, measles vaccination coverage in Ukraine among children under the age of one was 92.4%. During the war, an additional risk factor for the spread of measles is the crowding of people, in particular, in shelters during air raids.
At the country level, a nationwide "catch-up" vaccination campaign against measles was announced in the summer of 2023. In three months, the campaign managed to vaccinate 153,493 children . Among them, 68,488 children aged 2 to 17 received the first dose of the vaccine, and 85,005 children aged 7 to 17 received the second dose.
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