Ulana Suprun

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thought Until recently, health authorities, they had almost eliminated measles from Europe . But for now, the potentially deadly Disease is on The Rise , because of the dramatic decline in vaccination rates. Worst of all, the Ukraine is concerned, to suffer now, which is One of the worst measles epidemics in The World , with More Than 100,000 cases since 2017.

One day in the autumn of 2017, Oksana Butenko waved goodbye to their teenage son, Sergei, as he was on the way to University to study to be a doctor to be.

Eighteen months later, in February of this year, they brought his body back to her small village in Western Ukraine , in a coffin.

the young man who wanted to devote his life to curing people who had diseases, he died at the age of 18, suddenly, of a Disease , health authorities say, is completely preventable, measles, a Disease they thought a few years ago, they had almost eradicated in Europe .

Serhiy Butenko died of pneumonia caused by measles, "He was a brilliant boy," Oksana says, and he stands in front of the small silver domes of the village Church, where her son was held the funeral. "He was The Most precious thing I've ever had. It was his dream to be a medic, That is what he lived for.

"I don't know why it happened. I remember My Childhood , everyone has the measles, But they all recovered. "

measles is a very contagious Disease That Most People after a few weeks of high temperature, and an unpleasant skin rash. But in a few cases - One or two in a Thousand , it leads to serious complications, most often pneumonia.

Serhiy died of pneumonia, to breathe caused by measles after several days on the intensive care unit, infection is eating away at his lungs, unable, without artificial respiration.

He was One of 39 people have died of measles, which began in the Ukraine since the current outbreak in the year 2017.

measles has been surging in Europe , with The Number of new cases tripling in The Last year 82,596. The majority of the people in the Ukraine , with 53,218 the Disease to catch.

Ukraine has seen a rise in measles cases in The Last two years, "We have this perfect storm, what happened in The Last 40 Years , and it culminated in the demolition of the problem we have now," says trade of the country, Minister for health, Ulana Suprun . She talks about the dramatic decline in the proportion of persons, the protection against measles through vaccination.

Until about 2001, she says, Ukraine imported a strain of vaccine from Russia, declared by The World health organization (WHO) ineffective later on. As a result, "More Than 44% of measles cases in Ukraine are for adults adults who thought they were Vaccinated , But the vaccine was not helpful".

Then there was a problem with the cold chain storage of the vaccine refrigerated so That it remains effective. In the midst of the economic collapse was not the collapse after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, with poorly equipped hospitals, and unreliable energy supply, the vaccine always at The Right temperature.

Oles Pohranychny: the distrust towards the vaccination of a wider malaise, reflected in the society, But an even bigger problem is the psychological was. As The Years passed, more and more people who refused vaccination for themselves or their children.

"It's A Question of trust," says Oles Pohranychny, headmaster of a private primary school in the Western City of Lviv. After two years in the epidemic, only half of its students Vaccinated against measles.

"a vaccine is something That I do, and think it will protect me against something. Now Our School has The Children of parents born in the 1990s, when nobody believed, nothing. Not another, not medicine, not The State .

"throughout the former Soviet Union , it was a time of transition from a paternalistic society to a society in which the responsibility for themselves - But You don't know How To take responsibility for themselves. Everyone around was - this is what the people in the 90s. She was like a clenched fist, and don't trust anyone. Otherwise You were a loser. Trust was for Losers . "

Dr. Suprun, Deputy Minister of health, the debt, the media and politicians fueled the anti-vaccination mood, especially after a widely-publicized incident in 2008, when a student named Anton Tishchenko died shortly after being immunised against measles even though they showed a medical report later That his death was the vaccine.

You See, to Die more lists, from the distrust in the Ukraine , Tim Whewell's report for the BBC World Service assignment program

In The Wake of The Tragedy , vaccination rates fell so dramatically That by 2016, only 31% of the population have been through the MMR, the main vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella - the lowest level of vaccination in The World , even lower than in Africa, as Dr. Suprun put covered.

recommends The Who 95% of children should be immunised with the MMR vaccination to achieve herd immunity level of all Vaccinated children and unvaccinated - are protected from measles, mumps and rubella.

Ukrainian soldiers line up for the vaccination, Dr Suprun says That even now she is fighting against a flood of misinformation. "We have the politicians try to get votes That say That You don't need to be Vaccinated to be, it is all a big conspiracy by Western governments, over the heads of Our Children , the vaccine is a large plot of pharmaceutical companies to come in and make a lot of money from the Ukraine . Unfortunately, with 39 deaths, it is difficult for people to think That this is a real problem. "

The death of Serhiy Butenko, however, jerk his fellow students at the Vinnitsa Medical University, in the center of Ukraine .

"It was a feeling of emptiness," says Oleh Yefymenko, Director of The Student Council. "A lot of people That knew him, really, his story touched everyone. "

Medical records show That Serhiy were Vaccinated between the ages of One and six, according to the recommendations of the health authorities. But it was not enough to protect him, because he caught the measles virus, only to be taken ill with another virus Disease - mononucleosis or glandular fever.

"This mononucleosis weakened his immune system, so That it can not properly fight against the measles virus," says Dr. Alexandra Popovich, who oversaw Serhiy treatment in his Last Days .

It is possible That he could have better protected if he had The Last booster vaccine, the vaccine.

But the more important lesson from The Tragedy , says Dr. Popovich, is That Serhiy didn't have to die, if he has not yet been exposed to the measles in the First Place , if The Level of herd immunity in the population was high enough.

According to Serhiy 's death, many of his fellow students rushed to get Vaccinated , according to student leader Oleg Yeminenko.

Oleh Yefymenko, says fellow students Serhiy 's death shocked But as it comes, medical students, future doctors, had not thought of That a long time ago? At That time, the measles outbreak has been raging for almost two years.

The University authorities told the BBC they carried encourage a great campaign last year, the students met, and achieved a vaccination rate of More Than 98%.

You said, the students are taught about vaccinations, "from The Point of view of evidence-based medicine, the study of immunology, statistical data, contraindications and consequences. "

But Kateryna Bulavinova, the United Nations children's agency UNICEF, which will help the Ukrainian government in The Fight against measles reached, said Serhiy Butenko death showed That the University will not do the deans enough to protect in General, students.

"in my personal opinion this is a terrible situation, because it was preventable," She Said . "For me, it's a great puzzle, because it is the third year of the outbreak in the Ukraine , with large numbers of those who contract measles Lich. But still the deans of all the Medical Universities do not take their position to protect the students. "

"The biggest Problem is with the health care workers themselves. We have more and more young doctors who have no idea of the vaccination, or doubt as to the immunization, or the immunization. "

The Minister for health, Ulana Suprun believes doctors are the main spreader of doubt about vaccines.

Some doctors are taught in the Ukraine , not the vaccination helps a child in the Long Run she says That Some medical students are taught That the vaccinations are necessary. The basic principle is the conviction That it is better for a child to contract the Disease , because then You have immunity for the rest of your life. "If scientists on The Level of training of new doctors says That You do not need to vaccinate The Children , it really makes The Point ," Dr. Suprun.

she says, many of the problems That led to the epidemic are now overcome. Vaccines are procured, which has helped Unicef to ensure That the government is in the visiting of hospitals and clinics That the cold chain is maintained.

vaccination, anti-vaccination movement, ukraine

Source of news: bbc.com