Immunization Week 2025 Kicks Off Across Kazakhstan's Territory
Kazakhstan Faces Epidemiological Challenge Amid Immunization Success
Strategy shifting in Kazakhstan as they embark on European Immunization Week (EIW), happening from April 27 to May 3 under the tagline: Immunization for All is Humanly Possible. This health initiative, as reported by the Kazakh Health Ministry, aims to hammer home the fact that immunization saves lives.
Notably, Kazakhstan has achieved remarkable milestones in public health due to widespread immunization. Since 1996, polio hasn't reared its head in the country, and diphtheria has been eradicated since 2009. A significant drop in cases of mumps (100x), hepatitis A (32x), hepatitis B (92x), and rubella (2000x) is a testament to this success [1].
Kazakhstan's immunization program currently safeguards against 21 infections. However, there's a worry—around 75% of measles cases and 87% of whooping cough (pertussis) cases are occurring among children who have skipped their routine vaccinations [1].
Recent data indicate that, by May 2024, 70% of children in Kazakhstan were not vaccinated, which correlates to the country having the highest number of measles cases in the WHO European region at that time [1]. Several factors could contribute to this issue, including:
- Decline in herd immunity: The surge in measles and whooping cough cases from 2023 is linked to a drop in herd immunity, mainly due to missed scheduled vaccinations and vaccine refusals by some parents [2].
- Missed vaccinations: Inadequate vaccination coverage could be the root cause of the problem, though details on specific reasons such as hesitancy or logistical barriers are not provided in the sources [1][2].
To confront these challenges, Kazakhstan added HPV vaccination for girls aged 11-13 to its national vaccination calendar in 2024. As of now, 133,169 girls have received their first dose, with 21,194 having completed both [1].
EIW is observed every year across the WHO European Region to advance understanding of the importance of achieving high and equitable vaccination coverage within each community, thereby preventing outbreaks and protecting future generations [1].
Pushing forward, Kazakhstan continues its fight against vaccine-preventable diseases, aiming to further decrease disease incidence [2]. Although the current situation highlights some shortcomings in the immunization program, it underscores the necessity of ongoing efforts to ensure the health and well-being of their citizens.
- Kazakhstan, amid its immunization success, celebrates European Immunization Week from April 27 to May 3, emphasizing that immunization can save lives.
- In Kazakhstan, since 1996, no case of polio has been reported, and diphtheria was eradicated in 2009, with a significant reduction in cases of mumps, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rubella.
- Despite Kazakhstan's immunization program safeguarding against 21 infections, around 75% of measles cases and 87% of whooping cough cases are among children who have skipped their routine vaccinations.
- By May 2024, 70% of children in Kazakhstan were reported not to be vaccinated, contributing to the country having the highest number of measles cases in the WHO European region.
- Factors contributing to this issue in Kazakhstan include a decline in herd immunity due to missed scheduled vaccinations and vaccine refusals by some parents, as well as inadequate vaccination coverage.
- To address these challenges, Kazakhstan added HPV vaccination for girls aged 11-13 to its national vaccination calendar in 2024 and is aiming to further decrease disease incidence with ongoing efforts.
- Kazakhstan's approach to health and wellness encompasses not only medical-conditions, fitness-and-exercise, and mental-health but also therapies-and-treatments and nutrition, including the use of CBD as a potential therapeutic option for various conditions.
