Measles Cases Increase in Sarajevo Canton

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Public Institution Institute for Public Health of Sarajevo Canton has informed the Ministry of Health that the number of measles cases has increased in the Sarajevo Canton area.

In the 10th week, from March 4 to March 10, 32 new cases of measles were reported, bringing the total number of reported cases since the beginning of the year to 65, according to the KS Press Service.

A check of the vaccination status of those infected revealed that data is missing for only four cases, and all other infected individuals are unvaccinated.

"We note that measles is a vaccine-preventable disease for which the MMR vaccine (Measles, Rubella, and Mumps) is administered under the mandatory immunization program of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In relation to this, the Public Institution Institute for Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has instructed all cantonal public health institutes to intensify the implementation of measures in accordance with legal obligations and the Measles Elimination Plan and the Measles Surveillance Guide," the statement reads.

Given that immunization coverage in Sarajevo Canton is significantly lower than the required levels to achieve herd immunity, and particularly the coverage of the MMR vaccine has drastically decreased in recent years, not due to vaccine shortages but due to parents refusing to vaccinate their children, even though MMR immunization is mandatory.

The Ministry of Health, as early as the beginning of 2018, informed healthcare institutions that promotional activities need to be intensified, involving all healthcare workers, especially those directly involved in the immunization program, with the aim of informing parents and the public about the importance of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases.

The Ministry of Health of Sarajevo Canton calls on parents who have not complied with the Mandatory Immunization Program to vaccinate their children, with the aim of improving the immunization status of children and ultimately improving herd immunity.

"We note that, in accordance with legal regulations, protection against infectious diseases is the duty of local self-government units - municipalities, cantons, and the Federation, healthcare institutions, private practice holders, business companies, and other legal and natural persons, and promotional activities on the importance of immunization are a shared social responsibility," the statement reads.

Teams from the Institute for Public Health of Sarajevo Canton are on the ground and are working on recommendations for preventing the spread of the disease in kindergartens and schools.

The largest number of reports were received from the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo (30 reports), and the most affected age groups are 2 to 5 years old (21 cases), 6 months to 1 year old (11 cases), and 1 to 2 years old (10 cases).