The World Health Organization reported on Feb 7 that Ukraine had 53,218 new instances of measles infection in 2018, a dramatic increase, including 33,000 among children under 16 years of age.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine states that in 2016 there were only 102 people diagnosed with measles, while in 2017 the number rose to 4,782 new patients.
In 2018, 82,000 Europeans were diagnosed with measles, the number highest in a decade, with Ukraine accounting for 65 percent of the total, the agency writes. The runner-up, Serbia, accounted for only 5,000 new instances the report says.
The agency recorded 72 lethal cases in Europe, among them 16 were recorded in Ukraine; 83 percent of those infected were not properly vaccinated, according to WHO. Lack of vaccinations is the main reason behind the outbreak of measles, health experts say.
Ukraine remains a country with the lowest vaccination rates in Europe. In 2018, only 67 percent of 1-year olds took poliomyelitis vaccination, 51 percent took required hepatitis shots and only 90 percent received full measles immunized, leaving around 50,000 children each year without a proper vaccination.
With the situation remaining critical, Ulana Suprun, Ukraine’s acting health minister, stated on Oct. 14, that vaccination is a matter of national security. She proposed penalties for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. However, she met with strong opposition from a number of members of parliament.
Countries such as the United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Estonia and Germany have laws forbidding children without all required vaccination to enroll in pre-school, while Italy and Poland fine parents. Over 85 percent of children in the European Union received all necessary vaccines, including for poliomyelitis, hepatitis and measles.
