The health authorities provide free immunization of pregnant women against whooping cough – Around the world and in our country

The Ministry of Health will provide free pertussis vaccines to all pregnant women from 27 to 36 weeks of gestation. This was announced by the Minister of Health, Dr. Galya Kondeva, at a briefing in the Council of Ministers.

“The registered cases of whooping cough in the country are more than 500, compared to 4 in the same period last year. This clearly shows the tendency for an epidemic spread of the disease. More than 90% of the cases are children. The risk group of complications and hospitalization are children under 1 year old 84% of them are not immunized due to underage or other reasons. Taking into account the opinion of the National Immunization Council and the opinion of the expert council, I am taking the following actions:

• Immunization calendar update: the basic scheduled immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B infections is allowed to start earlier, from the 6th week.
• The Ministry of Health will provide all pregnant women from 27 to 36 weeks of gestation who wish to be immunized for free, regardless of whether they have health insurance or not,” Kondeva said.

Currently, the immunization calendar provides for children to be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, hemophilus influenza type B infections and pneumococcal infections from the second, third and fourth months.

photos: BGNES

Immunizations will be carried out free of charge at designated immunization points, explained health inspector Assoc. Angel Kunchev.

“We are also working on the provision of diagnostics, much more broadly. To the four centers in Varna, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora and Pleven, we will also add Burgas, as there is an opportunity there. Free PCR diagnostics will be carried out in these places according to criteria for the first time, severe cases, cases in organized groups, etc. This will lead to a reduction of the risk. And in Europe, 80% of the sick are unimmunized, or with missed immunizations or completely unvaccinated,” Assoc. Kunchev emphasized.

Hear the latest news wherever you are!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

Follow the BNT channel on YouTube
You can now also watch us on TikTok
Find us on Google News