1. Home
  2. Asia
  3. Turkmenistan

National immunisation programme proceeding well

[Turkmenistan] Child immunisation rates reach 95 percent. IRIN
The aim of the campaign is to reach 95 percent of the population
A new nationwide immunisation and vaccination programme aimed at eradicating vaccine preventable diseases and maintaining the country's polio free status is proceeding well in Turkmenistan, officials said. "The aim of the national immunisation programme is to cover more than 95 percent of the population and maintain polio-free status," a government official told IRIN from the capital, Ashgabat, adding that the programme aims to eliminate measles by 2010. Launched in January and planned to last until 2020, the national immunisation programme targets all vaccine preventable infections, including hepatitis, TB, measles, polio, diphtheria and parotitis (mumps) in accordance with the national strategy for the economic, political and cultural development of the country, in which further improvement of the overall health care system has been highlighted, with immunisation described as one of the top priorities. According to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the campaign was proceeding well with the current coverage rate of more than 95 percent, and distribution of personal vaccination cards at maternity hospitals free of charge, a step also contributing to a high rate of vaccination of the targeted population. "We've got very good coverage and maintain that. We are getting only WHO certified vaccines and we have reliable suppliers through UNICEF," a government official said, adding that the current programme had been developed based on the WHO recommendations, which they tried to comply with at the implementation phase as well. The previous immunisation programme in the Central Asian nation was implemented from 1993 to 2000, bringing polio elimination and a high rate of coverage, some 95 percent, against the main vaccine-preventable infections, including polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and measles. "Following 1997 no cases of polio caused by wild polio virus have been registered in Turkmenistan, which in 2002 along with other countries of the European region was certified as wild polio virus-free," Ene Djumaeva, a national programme officer for UNICEF, told IRIN, adding that preventive vaccination against hepatitis B among infants had started in 2002. Moreover, the government covers the cost for child vaccinations, including syringes and safe utilisation boxes, procured via UNICEF. "It is very important as there is a WHO/UNICEF agreement on banding supplies and vaccines should be supplied with self-destructible syringes and safe utilisation boxes, done with the sole aim of avoiding any infection from the outside," Djumaeva highlighted.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join