BCG vaccination schedule to be changed in Ukraine: what awaits newborns
Kyiv • UNN
Starting in 2026, BCG vaccination in Ukraine will be administered in the first 24 hours after birth instead of 48 hours. The schedule of pertussis and measles vaccinations will also be updated, and the HPV vaccine will be added to the calendar.
In Ukraine, changes to the National Vaccination Schedule for 2026 will come into force regarding the age limits for vaccination. BCG vaccination will be started in the first 24 hours after birth, and the pertussis and measles vaccination schedule will be updated.
This was reported by the head of the National Technical Group of Experts on Immunoprophylaxis (NTGEI), infectious disease doctor Fedir Lapiy, according to a correspondent of UNN .
Details
He noted that the task of the National Technical Group of Immunization Experts is to inform the Ministry of Health about news in the field, necessary changes in strategy and optimization, including the introduction of new vaccines and effective schemes in the vaccination calendar. Lapiy explained that financial aspects are important when discussing the vaccination calendar, as they determine the cost of vaccination.
He noted that some values, such as saving lives from whooping cough or cervical cancer, cannot be measured in terms of money. The immunization program also takes into account the population's adherence to vaccination and the epidemic situation.
In particular, it was recommended to shift BCG vaccination to 24 hours after birth.
Currently, the current vaccination schedule, which will be in effect until 2025, provides for a 48-hour delay. Why is this so? Firstly, BCG vaccine can be administered on the first day of life, but we do not have such a tradition, it exists in the world and it is a sustainable practice - vaccinating newborns on the first day of life, but we also focused on the fact that we have a low birth rate. We are trying to keep fewer children in maternity hospitals because it is related to the fact that the child does not find a bacterial infection there that would be resistant. That is, the less you stay in hospitals, the more likely you are to be discharged without complications
The infectious disease doctor explained that the shift in vaccination by one day would allow for more rational use of BCG vaccines, ensuring protection of newborns from severe forms of tuberculosis.
In addition, optimization of the vaccination calendar allows to expand the choice of vaccines for procurement, including multivalent vaccines, which is important due to the specificity of the vaccine market. In connection with the rise in pertussis, the doctor emphasized the importance of vaccinating unvaccinated children in the first year of life, which helps to reduce the incidence rate.
He also noted that a study in France showed that two-dose pertussis vaccination regimens are less effective, so Ukraine should use proven methods. Regarding measles, the doctor noted that shifting the second dose of the vaccine by 4 years helps to optimize vaccination and reduce the incidence among children.
Recall
Starting in 2026, the National Vaccination Schedule will include a vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which was previously available only on a commercial basis.