Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis should be funded by the state — this is a long-known unfulfilled "homework," said the head of the State Council on Immunization, Dace Zavadska, in an interview with Latvian Radio, LETA reports.
She emphasized that Latvia is an endemic country. Ticks infected with the tick-borne encephalitis virus are widespread throughout Latvia, including in urban areas.
Moreover, Latvia is one of the few countries where tick-borne encephalitis is widespread and all three subtypes of the virus are present.
"We are the place where this vaccination must be included in the state program. Unfortunately, it is not — neither for children nor for adults," Zavadska explained.
The infectious disease specialist noted that health economics experts have proven the high economic efficiency of such a measure. "I hope that those who think about this and bear responsibility have heard, will hear, and want to hear this," the specialist emphasized.
As previously reported by LETA, this year the Center for Disease Prevention and Control is organizing state-funded vaccination for children against tick-borne encephalitis in eight regions — Ventspils, Kuldiga, South Kurzeme, Talsi, Saldus, Cesis, Limbazi, and Tukums. The Limbazi region has been added to the seven areas with a high level of endemicity included in last year's list.
All children in the relevant age group registered in one of the endemic areas are entitled to free vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis, regardless of the location of their family doctor's practice.
The State Council on Immunization, led by Zavadska, has called for a renewed political discussion on including vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis in the national vaccination calendar, citing recent economic assessments that confirm its cost-effectiveness.
Leave a comment