The World Health Organization (WHO) organized a "Caravan of Health and Vaccination" in the local community of Ostros.
As announced by that organization, the "Health and Vaccination Caravan" was held with the financial support of the European Union, in cooperation with the Health Center (DZ) Bar, local authorities, with the involvement of the Institute of Public Health, and under the patronage of the Ministry of Health.
"The slogan of the caravan is "We protect those we love". The purpose of holding the caravan is to promote the importance of immunization with a focus on the benefits of MMR vaccination. During the caravan, DZ Bar also provided sufficient quantities of MMR vaccines to administer the vaccines on site. DZ Bar was provided by a pediatric team consisting of Dr. Emina Šabović and Mrs. Selma Madžurić, a nurse, who provided useful advice and explanations during interactions with citizens," the WHO statement reads.
From that health organization, they said that according to the data of the Institute for Public Health, despite minor positive developments, MMR vaccination coverage in Montenegro is still at a "worryingly low level", and added that Bar is one of the municipalities that records almost the lowest MMR vaccination rates. .
"During the tour of Ostros, in a conversation with the locals and parents, Dr. Sci med Mina Brajović, head of the WHO office in Montenegro, pointed out that "raising the level of MMR vaccination coverage must be the collective responsibility and obligation of the entire society. She pointed out that health promotion services and preventive health services must be equally accessible to every child and every citizen. No child must be forgotten. No child is safe until every child is safe and until a satisfactory level of collective immunity is achieved. After all, according to her, this is one of the key lessons learned during the COVID 19 pandemic. Reminding her that vaccination protects health and saves lives, she called on all citizens to support vaccination and to protect those we love together," the WHO statement said.
During the caravan, Ganimeta Hodža, the chosen doctor at the Ostros clinic, pointed out that during her almost 3-decade-long career and work in primary health care, for the first time she encountered such a low level of MMR vaccination against a very serious and often fatal disease such as smallpox.
According to her, the MMR vaccine has been used for decades in the world and in Montenegro, and "we are witnesses that it is one of the most checked vaccines ever".
She added that there is no reason for parents to postpone vaccination, because, as she says, vaccines are safe and protect the health of our children.
She also appealed to all parents to take advantage of the first free opportunity and vaccinate their children, if they have not already done so.
Coordinator of the Caravan in front of DZ Bar Ljilja Jovićević pointed out the "necessity of providing equally accessible and high-quality health care to citizens, regardless of where they live."
She added, "increasing coverage with MMR vaccination presupposes a proactive attitude of the health system in relation to the immunization program."
Appealing to the present citizens and parents, she reminded that the DZ Bar made an effort and established an arrangement to enable the process of administering MMR vaccines during the weekend as well.
She added that "parents can also schedule vaccinations online by using link.
She thanked for the continued support of the WHO and the EU in the realization of one of the biggest strategic priorities in the health sector, which is the "successful implementation of the MMR vaccination program and increase in coverage".
"Citizens expressed great interest in this type of interaction and communication between parents and competent health workers in the community itself. Mrs. Emina Demirović, mother of the seven-year-old boy Amin, who is originally from Ostros, but lives and works in Germany, pointed out that "I am my son's properly and timely vaccinated. In Germany, it is not possible to enroll a child in kindergarten and ensure school attendance without a certificate of proper vaccination status. We made a decision based on what science says, and the science is clear - vaccines are safe. I use the opportunity to call all parents to be responsible and to vaccinate their children, if they have not already done so," said the WHO.
Naser Perašević, a resident of Ostros, the father of a properly vaccinated nine-year-old girl, Rejana, pointed out that they did not hesitate "for a single moment".
"We listened to the advice of doctors who care about our health and the health of our children. Vaccination is the way to a healthy and carefree childhood," concluded Perašević.
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