European Immunization Week "Vaccines bring results!"
Immunization is widely recognized as one of the most successful and cost-effective health measures available. It makes it possible to prevent from 2 to 3 million deaths annually. The aim of the European Immunization Week, which will be held from April 24 to 30, 2022, is to increase the level of vaccination coverage by attracting attention and raising awareness about the importance of immunization of people, in particular among vulnerable groups of the population. To date, the absolute majority of medical professionals recognize that immunization has been an outstanding success of healthcare and one of the most effective and economically feasible measures of medical intervention.
The European Immunization Week (ENI) promotes the popularization of the basic idea that the immunization of every child is essential for the prevention of diseases and the protection of life. The main objective of ENI is to expand the coverage of immunization by raising awareness of its importance.Currently, more than 100 vaccines have been created to fight more than 40 diseases, new generation vaccines are constantly being developed and introduced, including combined vaccines capable of creating immunity to several infections. In the near future, about 45 nosological forms, preventable by vaccines, are expected to appear in the Calendar of preventive vaccinations. About 500 new vaccines are being developed in the world, and 30 vaccines are being developed in our country
In the Lipetsk region, epidemiological well-being is preserved for a group of infections controlled by means of specific prevention. For more than 10-15 years, cases of rubella, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus, polio have not been registered among our population. Imported cases of measles are detected, which do not have a subsequent epidemic spread. This is due to the maintenance since 2000 of regulated levels of vaccination coverage in all decreed age groups in all administrative territories (95% and above), which is confirmed by the results of annual serological monitoring.
At the same time, as of 31.12.2021, 1,633 children (0.76% of all children aged 6 months to 17 years) remained absolutely not vaccinated in the region within the framework of the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations (0.76% of all children aged 6 months to 17 years), the main reason for non-vaccination remains parental refusals (92.7%).
One of the main reasons for deliberately refusing vaccinations is a lack of knowledge about vaccination. The laws define the rights and obligations of a healthcare professional and a parent responsible for their child. In addition, the laws take into account the moral and ethical norms proclaimed by the Helsinki Declaration on Human Rights. The right of a child, like any citizen, is the right to be vaccinated, that is, protected from infections. The right of parents and all citizens is to receive full information from a medical professional about the dangers of infectious diseases, the need for preventive vaccinations, the consequences of refusing them, possible post-vaccination reactions and complications.
The European Immunization Week is held annually in order to raise awareness and knowledge of the population, the public, and medical professionals about infections controlled by means of immunoprophylaxis, about the need for protection against infectious diseases.
The Health Department of the Lipetsk Region, together with the Office of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being in the Lipetsk Region, developed an action plan "On holding the European Immunization Week in the Lipetsk Region". In accordance with the plan, it is planned to hold "open days" in polyclinics and children's consultations, meetings with parents and teachers, visits to families with unvaccinated children, posting information on Internet sites and social networks, issuing health bulletins on the topic of vaccination, and other events. During April, hotlines will work for the population in the Health Department 23-80-70, 33-43-69, the Department of Rospotrebnadzor 30-88-14, 30-88-78 and in the department of immunoprophylaxis of GUZ "LOKIB" 71-06-18, 71-38-95 on individual immunization and vaccination safety.
Information resources for the population and medical specialists: https://yaprivit.ru, http://nasci.ru, https://www.pediatr-russia.ru
Chief Freelance Epidemiologist of the Department
Health care of the Lipetsk region, Candidate of Medical Sciences A.N. Filatov
