The number of people who are vaccinated decreases in Romania

In Romania, fewer and fewer people make their vaccines.

In this context, the most vulnerable are children, warn pediatricians at the beginning of the International Vaccination Week.

The situation is the more serious, according to statistics, the highest Romania has the infant mortality rate in the EU in children up to five years.

Vaccination in Romania declined steadily from year to year and erroneous information that reached the public is one of the causes for this diminished interest of parents for vaccination - says Secretary of State for Health, Adrian Pana.

"Informing people of diverse backgrounds, mixed messages that were sent to the population, on the other hand in which were made the schedules for purchasing the vaccines have led to decreased acceptability of population for vaccination", says Adrian Pana.

Vice President of the National Committee of Vaccinology, Alexandru Rafila, presents the latest amendment to the national immunization program.

"Rubella vaccine, measles, mumps, an extremely effective vaccine was introduced in 2005. Subsequently, in 2012, hexavalent vaccine, is an important vaccine because it increases the compliance to vaccination - instead of twice puncturing the child, we stab him only once.

"And as a novelty this year, pneumococcal vaccine, or HPV vaccine optionally in the schedule this year", said Alexandru Rafila.

Stocks of vaccine for children, depleted at Sibiu

Eradication of smallpox, polio elimination and disappearance of diphtheria were made by immunizing populations.

Vaccines are safe and effective and vaccination saves lives - is the message broadcasted both by doctors and health authorities on the occasion of the International Vaccination Week.

In Sibiu were depleted stocks from two types of vaccines that are given to children aged up to one year.

It is about the hexavalent vaccine and Pentax, announces Doctor Georgeta Marga from County Public Health Department, which warns that the situation would be generated nationwide.

"We are expecting and have already received information from the Control Center and the Ministry of Health that are pending existing stocks to be distributed to Unipharm in order to be distributed by counties to vaccinate young children. Unfortunately, the stocks are nationally depleted at the beginning of the year and have not been purchasing of products until now.

"The hexavalent vaccine is diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, haemophilus influenzae and hepatitis B and polio. It has to be administrated at 2 and 6 months, and the other, Pentax, which contains the same components, except less hepatitis B, is given at 4 months and 12 months, "said Georgeta Marga.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea

MTTLC, Bucharest University