Yesterday, the Ministry of Health appealed to parents to vaccinate their children against smallpox and thus contribute to collective immunity, because otherwise they will have to adopt more restrictive measures.
This results from the department's answer to the questions of "Vijesti" about whether they will accept the proposals of the Institute for Public Health (IJZ) in connection with the current measles epidemic. The school year, according to the schedule, starts on Monday, September 2, while the smallpox epidemic has been officially declared in Podgorica and Budva.
The institute is previously the ministry that it manages Vojislav Šimun proposed to amend the law in order to limit the stay of unvaccinated children in schools and kindergartens or to introduce temporary measures in municipalities where a smallpox epidemic has been reported.
"The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with state institutions and partners from the international and non-governmental sector, has created a whole series of positive measures and activities aimed at parents, in order to increase the response to vaccination of children, which at the moment is not satisfactory, especially due to the circumstances of the beginning of the new school year . If these measures do not produce results in the near future, the Ministry will be forced to consider the introduction of measures that would reduce the scope of rights for certain age groups", the answer reads.
However, the Ministry did not specify what these measures were.
They said that they regularly monitor the epidemiological situation and, together with the Institute and health institutions, prepare activities so that the health system is ready for all possible scenarios in the coming period, because the health of the population, especially children, as the most vulnerable category, is one of their main priorities in action.
"The whole system continuously works to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination with the MMR vaccine, organizes additional and extraordinary vaccinations, educates parents and does everything to raise it to the level of collective immunity that protects the health of the citizens of Montenegro. However, despite this, we ask parents to understand the seriousness of the situation and to vaccinate their children as soon as possible. The experiences we gained during the covid-19 pandemic have taught us that repressive measures are disastrous for the overall and especially mental health of the population, but also for the country's economy," the answer states.
The Ministry of Health reminded that the Law on the Protection of the Population from Infectious Diseases stipulates mandatory vaccination, as well as penal provisions for non-fulfilment of obligations prescribed by law. They said that the Ministry firmly stands behind the mandatory vaccination policy and asked parents to listen to the profession and bring their children for vaccination, in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the epidemic and all unwanted consequences...
Two days ago, the IJZ assessed for "Vijesti" that the coverage of vaccinated children cannot be improved significantly and quickly without changing the legislation that would limit the stay in collectives - preschool institutions and schools, sports and recreational facilities, on trips and excursions for unvaccinated children. children.
They said that, until changes are made, the existing Law allows for the adoption of special orders introducing temporary measures in municipalities where an epidemic has been reported.
"Both possible solutions (amendments to the law and adoption of orders based on the existing one) have been proposed to the Ministry of Health, and we expect that in the coming period they will be respected and urgent measures will be taken in order to reduce the risk of a large epidemic that can bring with it an overload of the health system, severe clinical images, complications and possible death outcomes", said the IJZ.
A smallpox epidemic has been declared in Budva and Podgorica, and the authorities believe that the situation will worsen with the beginning of the school year. Among the 19 infected, as many as were registered from April to this week, none were properly vaccinated against measles.
According to IJZ data, coverage with one dose of the MMR vaccine among preschool children in Montenegro is 59,7 percent. 83 percent of children born in 2018 and 76,7 percent of children born in 2019 received the MMR vaccine.
A smallpox epidemic has been declared in Budva and Podgorica, and the authorities believe that the situation will worsen with the beginning of the school year.
Among children born in 2020, coverage is 69,7 percent, while only half of children born in 2021 are protected from measles by vaccination. The coverage of vaccinated among children born in 2022 is 32,1, and in 2023 it is only 13,8 percent.
According to the current Law on the Protection of the Population from Infectious Diseases, vaccination against ten infectious diseases, including smallpox, is mandatory. Parents are subject to fines of up to 2.000 euros if they refuse and do not allow their child of preschool or school age to be vaccinated against these diseases, except in the case of medical contraindications determined by a medical doctor or expert team.
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