On April 24, 2013 in the National Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education named after P.L. Shupyk the third public lecture of Minister of Public Health Raisa Bogatyrova immunoprophylaxis was held. The videoconference with the Minister was watched by 10,000 representatives of 21 medical and pharmaceutical education institutions, and postgraduate education institutions of the IV accreditation level.
During the lecture “Vaccination – national security issue “, Minister of Public Health of Ukraine, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, D.Sc. in Medicine, Honored Doctor of Ukraine, Professor Raisa Bogatyrova touched on the most urgent and the most pressing issues of immunoprophylaxis in Ukraine, and emphasized the importance of vaccination – one the components of national security.
– Preventive medicine as a basis of medical systems in civilized countries and investments in disease prevention are recognized among the most effective models for gaining personal benefits, and benefits for society in general – said Raisa Bogatyreva. – In today’s health care systems it is important to determine the balance between health-care spending itself and received benefits. Preventive medicine provides the most optimal balance between health-care spending and obtained results. Talking about the health of the country, we understand the importance of this factor for the safety of each citizen, as well as for national security in general. That is why the Law of Ukraine “On National Security” says that to protect interests of the citizens, society and the state, to ensure sustainable development of society it is important to early detect, prevent and neutralize real and potential threats to national interests in the field of immigration policy, education and science and, most importantly, health care.
Minister of Public Health identified the key areas where there is a threat to national security – political, military, social-humanitarian, economic, informational – and constituents of health care, preventive care and vaccination in each of them. Pointing at the importance of disease prevention, in particular for the economic sphere, Minister said:
– Preventing the diseases, we achieve the reduction of morbidity, need for expensive hospital care, reduction of costs for disability and productivity losses, limitation of the effects of prolonged illness. Vaccination provides more significant and wider economic benefits in addition to the money-saving costs of medical treatment. It protects against delayed effects of the disease, keeps up somatic and mental health, thereby creating real opportunities for people to get an education, to be engaged in labour activity. Accordingly, the protective function of immunization offers enormous individual and social benefits in terms of securing of employability, productivity and professional growth. In other words, the vaccination prevents the risk of death and disability, accounting for a small fraction of the treatment cost for the benefit of the individual and society in general. An effective health care policy and costs related to it should now be seen as an investment rather than as an expense. Good health stimulates the economy, whereas diseases lead to exhaustion.
In Ukraine vaccination at public expense is made against 10 infectious diseases, in European countries and the United States – against more, the Minister noted:
– Despite the decline in vaccination coverage that was observed in 2010 and 2011, 2012 was a year of growth of this indicator. This is due to improved supplies of vaccines and work on restoration of confidence in vaccination. I connect these results with the work of the Ministry of Public Health and the entire network of health care activities engaged in dissemination of information about the importance of vaccination and consequences of refusal from it. This is a great success. But – just the beginning.
Traditionally, after the speech of the Minister, representatives of the medical community of Ukraine could ask questions that concern most. Thus, students of the National University of Pharmacy asked about the quality control of vaccines that come to Ukraine from abroad.
– I want to draw everyone’s attention to the fundamental question. We, those who maintain control and those who register, do not care who the manufacturer is, in the case of the approach to quality of vaccines. During registration, we must ensure that all the parameters and requirements are up to our and European legislation – emphasized the Minister.
– If we registered a vaccine in Ukraine, check its properties and they meet our requirements and labeling, as indicated on the package, we allow it to use. It is impossible to divide vaccines into vaccines of domestic and foreign production in terms of control. Pharmacists should explain the importance of immunization, because you are part of the medical community, but if there are any doubts, you should apply to control authorities.
In the end of the meeting, Minister of Public Health once again made a plea to the medical community to conduct a comprehensive explanatory work on the importance of vaccination among the population.
Larisa Karabitsyna
