Information to the Public

Information to the Public

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Information to the Public

Date: 19 October 2017

At the Beginning of September 2017, 44 cases of measles were reported in Kosovo.  As of October 19th, 163 cases of measles were reported among children who are not vaccinated.

Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. The virus is passed on through direct contact and through the air, and can spread quickly especially wherever routine immunization coverage has been persistently below 95%, allowing for the gradual accumulation of susceptible individuals. The disease can be lethal, especially in children and adults with existing health conditions (other diseases, compromised immune system). In under immunized populations, the virus will continue to circulate among susceptible individuals. The only way to prevent measles is through a prompt and comprehensive response to immunize all children. Measles can spread to any country, including to those that have eliminated endemic transmission of the virus.

Kosovo has a high immunization level of ≥95% with two doses of measles containing vaccines. Except for hard to reach populations, according to MICS 2015, only 3 in 10 Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children are fully immunized. This situation has gradually created some pockets of children who are not covered or reached by routine vaccinations.

National Institute of Public Health has already based on international evidence and WHO guidelines developed an operational plan is taking necessary measures and actions in collaboration with municipal-based doctors and nurses to save lives, to contain the on-going situation of measles and to prevent new cases of measles from occurring.

NIPH since the first case of measles, has intensified vaccination activities with MMR vaccine primarily to affect but also to all population in all territories reporting measles;

Under the leadership of the Minister of Health, a meeting was held by the National Institute of Public Health, UNICEF and WHO to review the status of the current programme response to the on-going situation.  To this end, the NIPH is taking necessary measures and actions in collaboration with municipal-based doctors and nurses to save lives, to contain the on-going situation of measles and to prevent new cases of measles from occurring.

NIPH will continue working with UNICEF and WHO according to WHO recommendations to further improve communications plan and social mobilizations activities to address some misconceptions and increase awareness among families, communities and public to strengthen routine immunization of children from vulnerable families.  That is the reason why immunization teams are committed to vaccinate children through house to house mass vaccination and to expand routine vaccination of children in health facilities, especially for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Families.  Furthermore, the NIPH is also excited to witness the positive response from parents and families, and if this momentum is kept, the immunization rate will progressively improve.

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