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Measles epidemic. The struggle of Romania with the biggest epidemic in the last decades
Ema Apostu / 06 Aug 2017 / 17:13
The measles epidemic, which "sweep" Romania, is widely debated in the international press. The irresponsibility of the parents, the lack of reaction of the authorities have led our country into a very difficult situation. We are helpless in the face of measles, statistics show.
The total number of cases confirmed with measles in Romania reported until Friday, August 4, is 8,455, with 108 cases more than last week, according to the National Center for Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control within the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).
32 people lost their fight with measles.
The death of any patient is hard to bear, each death being a tragedy, said pediatrician Anca Drăgănescu for the Financial Times.
It was a traumatic consequence, however, to see how children die from measles, without doing anything in this regard.
An epidemic of measles, a highly contagious virus that could be prevented, "sweep" Romania.
"I knew it was coming"
"We expected it to happen because the vaccination rate has fallen so much in recent years." It was no surprise, I knew it was coming, "says the doctor.
The government, desperate to halt the outbreak of the epidemic, is expected to present as soon as possible a bill that will not only stop the epidemic, but also avoid a possible future situation.
In Italy, where politician Beppe Grillo has condemned immunization programs, saying that "vaccines kill", doctors recorded this year over 3,000 cases of measles, a six-fold increase over the same period in 2016.
Germany also recorded more than 700 cases in the first half of the year, five times more.
Romania far exceeds these figures. Almost 85% of the deaths caused by the virus in the EU this year occurred in our country.
What is the cause? The average vaccination rate has fallen from 95% to 86% since 2007, says Professor Alexandru Rafila, head of microbiology at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Romania.
In remote areas of the West, often heavily populated by Roma, who are reluctant to seek medical attention, immunization rates are much lower.
How does Romania fight the crisis?
In response to the crisis, Bucharest tried to secure adequate supplies of vaccines and stopped exports. It has also launched a national vaccination campaign.
The new bill should also address the issue of parental responsibility.
"There should be a very clear responsibility for people who do not vaccinate their children - they have to assume their consequences," says Professor Rafila, quoted by FT.
Parents disagree with vaccination
"He has no right to tell me how to take care of my baby," says Ani Critu, a 38-year-old actress who thinks her four-year-old son's rash and intestinal health issues have been caused by a Adverse reaction to vaccination.
"Of course, I trust science and medicine, but I know what happened to me and my son - it's a victim of vaccines," he says.
Dr Draganescu says parents need to realize the impact of their decisions on other children, especially on those weakened by pre-existing conditions.
"When you see that a child suffers and dies, you feel you want to make all those who are responsible to pay," she says.
https://www.dcnews.ro/epidemie-ruje...are-epidemie-din-ultimele-decenii_553285.html
