Vaccination

Dramatic decline in burden of vaccine-preventable diseases makes some infectious diseases belong to the history in Europe. Still, nearly one million people in the WHO European Region have not been vaccinated and vaccine-preventable diseases are continuously causing illness, complications and deaths.

In previous years, the European Region has been faced with epidemics of measles, rubella and mumps that occurred among susceptible population that has not been vaccinated or not vaccinated on time. As infectious diseases do not recognize the borders, epidemics are spreading from one country to another.

In Serbia, 526 people suffered from infectious diseases that could be prevented by vaccines in 2015, which represents a share of 0.2% in total disease burden from infectious diseases, more than 0.15% in 2014 (383 people infected in 2014).

Vaccination must be a priority for following key reasons:

  • Vaccination saves lives;
  • Vaccination is a basic right, but not available to everyone;
  • Epidemics are serious health threats;
  • Infectious diseases can lead to death;
  • Infectious diseases can be controlled and eradicated;
  • Vaccination is a cost-effective public health measure and
  • Children in health systems should be provided with a safe, accessible and effective vaccine (more)

 

References:

  1. Gledović Z, Jankovic S, Jarebinski M, Markovic Denić Lj, Vlajinac H i sar. Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, 2009: 165-171.
  2. Infectious Diseases Report in the Republic of Serbia. Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut”, available at: http://www.batut.org.rs/download/izvestaji/Zarazne%20bolesti%20godisnji%20izvestaj%202015.pdf