Fears of side effects and inaccurate information on social media are affecting the reduction of vaccination coverage in Lezha, while health authorities intensify awareness campaigns.
Ermira, the mother of a 1-year-old child in Lezha, has not yet received the mandatory measles vaccine for her son. Although her son has been eligible for the next vaccine for several months, the young mother has been hesitant to go to the local clinic, fearing that the vaccine could cause side effects, such as autism, which has made her hesitate.
“To be honest, I've read and heard a lot of things, so I'm looking at it with skepticism,” she said. “A lot of data says it can cause autism, so I was hesitant,” Ermira added, noting that “I've given my child other vaccines, but I'm in a big dilemma about this one.”
Ermira is not alone. Myths and discussions without scientific basis have led to the mandatory vaccination being viewed with suspicion by some parents, but also by adults who hesitate to carry it out in Lezha. Data from the last two years from the Local Health Care Unit show that mandatory vaccination has not been carried out to the appropriate extent.
In 2023, measles vaccine coverage reached 93 percent, in 2024 it reached 94 percent, while this year it has not yet crossed the 90 percent mark. The decline in vaccination rates and parental hesitancy are becoming a serious concern for health authorities, who are demanding more awareness and commitment from medical personnel.
“Of course there are different discussions about all vaccines, but the white shirts must be in constant communication with the population to convince them of the benefits and good effects that each vaccine brings,” he told BIRN. the director of the Local Health Care Unit, Elson Frroku. According to him, the greatest skepticism is related to the measles and HPV vaccines, although international studies have shown that they are safe.
"There are many countries that do not apply the measles vaccine at all and yet the ratio of children born with autism is almost the same as that of the whole of Europe. This shows that there is no link between the vaccine and autism," Frroku added.
Currently, 13 vaccines for various diseases are administered in Albania for children from birth to 18 years of age, with the most important being those administered in the first year of life.
Conspiracy theories about the measles vaccine have spread widely in recent decades, especially through social media, and are often based on scientifically unfounded claims. One of the most well-known is the false link between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism, which stems from a discredited 1998 study.
Although the study was retracted and its author lost his medical license, the myth continues to circulate, fueling vaccine hesitancy. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that the MMR vaccine is safe and effective, and that claims of a link to autism are completely untrue. The WHO warns that vaccine hesitancy is leading to a resurgence of measles outbreaks in many countries, despite the fact that the disease can be easily prevented with routine vaccination.
Doctors emphasize that vaccination remains the most powerful and economical means to prevent infectious diseases, while parental reluctance is contributing to the decline in vaccine coverage in some areas of the country.
Infectious disease physician Martin Marku emphasizes that vaccination has played a key role in controlling diseases that once claimed thousands of lives.
“Vaccination has made it possible to reduce infectious diseases to a large extent; some diseases have even disappeared completely, although they used to claim thousands of lives,” Marku told BIRN. “Vaccines have played a very important role in reducing mortality and the costs of treating these diseases. So, vaccination is an essential process and there is no basis for what is said about some types of vaccines that can cause health problems,” he added.
Doctor Klaudia Tushi is also in the same line, emphasizing that all vaccines used in Albania are certified by the World Health Organization.
"Vaccines are considered one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. Global statistics show that they have made it possible to halve child mortality rates. All vaccines that we use are certified by the WHO and there should be no hesitation from the population," said Tushi.
The drop in coverage has prompted the Local Health Care Unit in Lezha to undertake an awareness campaign in the city and rural areas. The head of epidemiology, Evisa Deda, emphasizes the importance of direct communication with citizens.
“It is a huge responsibility to highlight the importance of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases, protecting life and strengthening immunity,” she said. “The white shirts must communicate and convince citizens of the importance of vaccination, giving them peace of mind and security, so that at least mandatory vaccination is carried out at 100 percent,” Deda concluded./BIRN/
