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HealthMin Bodog: Measles epidemic, consequence of major malfunctions in vaccination public policy
The measles outbreaks in Romania in 2016 is not circumstantial, but a direct consequence of the "major" malfunctions in public policy regarding vaccination, Minister of Health Florian Bodog stated on Friday in a press release.
"For years now Romania has been below the safety threshold of vaccination coverage. That is, the risk of a measles outbreak was imminent. Which is what actually happened. The outbreak of the measles epidemic in 2016 is not conjectural, it is a direct consequence of major malfunctions in the public policy on vaccination," the Minister of Health stated.
According to him, the Vaccination Law corrects the irregularities that led to the outbreak of the epidemic, providing the best conditions for protecting children's health.
"For Romania, the stake of the vaccination bill is huge. Ensuring a healthy future for four million children lies in our hands. The Romanian Parliament, the highest institution of democracy, will decide on the final content of this law. However, beyond the debates in Parliament, it is important that all the public opinion be informed and understand the true meaning of the law and the profound changes it brings. (...) We have a moral duty towards our children, to prevent harm before it happens. As we also have a moral duty to the community in which we live to prevent harm before it happens to other children or parents," Bodog said, quoted in the press release.
He added that any bill is amendable and that is why it is open to any public debates as long as they are carried out with honesty, good sense and decency.
"But this project is the day-to-day work of specialists in the field of vaccination and who have faced all the flaws of the current framework. That is why the law has been carefully and correctly thought through by those who best understand how to regulate the vaccination policy," the Minister of Health also said.
The bill on the organisation and funding of public vaccination in Romania was adopted by the Government on Wednesday. The bill was submitted to Parliament for debate and adoption. The normative act would come into force on January 1, 2018.
A total of 8,493 confirmed measles cases have been reported by Friday since the outbreak of the disease, informs a release on the website of the National Center for the Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases of the National Public Health Institute.
Of these, there were 32 fatalities as follows: eight in Timis County, six in Arad, seven in Dolj, three in Caras-Severin and one in each Bihor, Cluj, Calarasi, Satu Mare, Vaslui, Galati, Mures and Bucharest.
Measles outbreaks have been registered in all 41 counties, the most affected - with over one thousand cases each - being Timis (1,215 cases), Caras-Severin (1,110) and Arad (1,002).
The government adopted on Wednesday the bill on the organization and funding of the population's vaccination. The piece of legislation was referred to Parliament for debate and adoption and should come in effect on January 1, 2018.