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HOW MUCH IS VACCINATION?
Azat Artsakh - Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
6 Sept 04
Recently parents have come to the editorial office of AA and
informed that their children had not received certain vaccinations
for a period of time already. At the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
we were told that the reason is the lack of vaccines. In the past
year a small amount of vaccines against poliomyelitis, as well as
diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough was received in Karabakh.
Recognizing the importance of vaccination of children against the
mentioned diseases, we tried to find out why our children do not
receive them, how much vaccination costs, and who is to blame for
the situation. Fist we visited the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
of Stepanakert where we met with the parents of the children who
already had received vaccination. Part of the parents did not know
for certain when and what vaccinations their children had had, and
some of them mentioned with anxiety that their children had not been
vaccinated against the above mentioned diseases. They also mentioned
that their children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, hepatitis
and measles in time. The chief specialist of the NKR Ministry of
Health S. Hayrapetian said, â^À^ÜWe are seriously worried by the
current situation however the problem is the lack of vaccines in
Armenia as well.â^À^Ý At the Republic Center of Hygiene we talked to
the acting chief doctor O. Harutiunian. According to her, a national
program of immunization is implemented in the republic. Once in a
month and a half the group of doctors leaves for the regions for
vaccination. In Stepanakert two days per week vaccination is carried
out. But there is the lack of vaccines. The minister of health Zoya
Lazarian emphasized that this year the ministry faces the problem
of vaccines. So far Armenia has provided free vaccines to Karabakh,
which were received through the UNICEF programs. The amount of vaccines
provided to Armenia considerably reduced this year, whereas control
over their use became stricter. As to NKR, the fact that our country
is not recognized does not allow us to establish direct relationships
with international organizations. How much vaccines cost and whether
it is possible to buy them and not to wait for receiving them as
humanitarian aid, Zoya Lazarian answered that vaccines are, of course,
expensive but starting with this year we will have to but them. A
month ago the minister of health of Armenia arrived in Karabakh. They
studied the situation and reported that the vaccines were used in
Karabakh with minimum losses. They took the list of the children to
be vaccinated and promised to present the estimation of the amount
of the necessary vaccines and their total value in a week. On the
basis of this calculation the ministry will apply to the government
to provide means from the state budget 2005 for buying vaccines from
UNICEF though Armenia. The problem is that the calculations have
not been sent yet. We do not know yet how much vaccines we need and
nevertheless how much they cost. Are these too expensive for us
to ignore the health of our children? At the end we must add that
according to the minister the epidemical situation in the country
is more than quiet. There are separate cases of infectious diseases
but these are localized and necessary measures are taken. According
to the acting chief doctor of the Center of Hygiene O. Harutiunian,
despite the lack of vaccines the population has already acquired
collective immunity, therefore the risk of epidemics is not big. As
to the children that have not been vaccinated yet, there is still
the danger of getting infected.
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
06-09-2004
Azat Artsakh - Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
6 Sept 04
Recently parents have come to the editorial office of AA and
informed that their children had not received certain vaccinations
for a period of time already. At the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
we were told that the reason is the lack of vaccines. In the past
year a small amount of vaccines against poliomyelitis, as well as
diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough was received in Karabakh.
Recognizing the importance of vaccination of children against the
mentioned diseases, we tried to find out why our children do not
receive them, how much vaccination costs, and who is to blame for
the situation. Fist we visited the Childrenâ^À^Ùs Consultation
of Stepanakert where we met with the parents of the children who
already had received vaccination. Part of the parents did not know
for certain when and what vaccinations their children had had, and
some of them mentioned with anxiety that their children had not been
vaccinated against the above mentioned diseases. They also mentioned
that their children were vaccinated against tuberculosis, hepatitis
and measles in time. The chief specialist of the NKR Ministry of
Health S. Hayrapetian said, â^À^ÜWe are seriously worried by the
current situation however the problem is the lack of vaccines in
Armenia as well.â^À^Ý At the Republic Center of Hygiene we talked to
the acting chief doctor O. Harutiunian. According to her, a national
program of immunization is implemented in the republic. Once in a
month and a half the group of doctors leaves for the regions for
vaccination. In Stepanakert two days per week vaccination is carried
out. But there is the lack of vaccines. The minister of health Zoya
Lazarian emphasized that this year the ministry faces the problem
of vaccines. So far Armenia has provided free vaccines to Karabakh,
which were received through the UNICEF programs. The amount of vaccines
provided to Armenia considerably reduced this year, whereas control
over their use became stricter. As to NKR, the fact that our country
is not recognized does not allow us to establish direct relationships
with international organizations. How much vaccines cost and whether
it is possible to buy them and not to wait for receiving them as
humanitarian aid, Zoya Lazarian answered that vaccines are, of course,
expensive but starting with this year we will have to but them. A
month ago the minister of health of Armenia arrived in Karabakh. They
studied the situation and reported that the vaccines were used in
Karabakh with minimum losses. They took the list of the children to
be vaccinated and promised to present the estimation of the amount
of the necessary vaccines and their total value in a week. On the
basis of this calculation the ministry will apply to the government
to provide means from the state budget 2005 for buying vaccines from
UNICEF though Armenia. The problem is that the calculations have
not been sent yet. We do not know yet how much vaccines we need and
nevertheless how much they cost. Are these too expensive for us
to ignore the health of our children? At the end we must add that
according to the minister the epidemical situation in the country
is more than quiet. There are separate cases of infectious diseases
but these are localized and necessary measures are taken. According
to the acting chief doctor of the Center of Hygiene O. Harutiunian,
despite the lack of vaccines the population has already acquired
collective immunity, therefore the risk of epidemics is not big. As
to the children that have not been vaccinated yet, there is still
the danger of getting infected.
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
06-09-2004