More and more parents choose not to vaccinate their children, for various reasons, and diseases that seemed almost eradicated make a menacing comeback. Measles, mumps and rubella are once again putting children’s lives at risk, and the medical system is struggling to prevent an epidemic.
In Romania, child immunization is facing one of the worst crises in recent decades. In many families, parents choose not to vaccinate their children, either due to lack of information, mistrust of the system, or financial reasons. This reluctance is reflected in the alarming decline in vaccination coverage rates, particularly for MMR – measles, mumps and rubella – where the second dose, given every five years, is often neglected.
A study carried out by Salvați Copiii Romania shows that only 47.4% of children received the first dose of MMR. Among the main causes are excessive bureaucracy, lack of vaccination in schools and kindergartens, transportation difficulties, but also misinformation and incomplete information circulating online and in communities.
The organization calls on the authorities to take concrete measures: simplify the reporting of vaccinations, train medical staff in communication with parents and create local teams to promote child immunization and answer parents’ questions.
The epidemiological situation in Romania clearly shows the danger.
Between February 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025, 27,568 of the 32,265 measles cases in the European Union were registered in Romania, by far the most compared to other countries.
In the period 2023-2025, more than 35,700 Romanians were diagnosed with measles, most of them children under 15 years old, and 30 people lost their lives due to complications.
And vaccination coverage for other preventable diseases remains worrying: Hep B (three doses) – 55%, DTPa (three doses) – 55%, IPV (three doses) – 55%, Hib (three doses) – 55%, Pneumococcal (three doses) – 54%.
Doctors are sounding the alarm: diseases that had been kept under control, some almost eradicated, are reappearing and taking advantage of the unvaccinated terrain to spread, endangering lives.
