Romania is facing the most severe vaccination crisis in recent decades, with an increasing number of children missing immunisation, leading to a steady decline in vaccination coverage rates for the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, particularly for the second dose administered at the age of five.
According to a qualitative study conducted by Save the Children Romania, the most recent data show that acceptance for the first dose stands at 47.4%. The main causes include information gaps, misinformation on social media, as well as systemic barriers such as excessive bureaucracy, lack of material resources, the discontinuation of school-based vaccination and lack of transport.
The organisation is calling on the authorities to simplify the vaccination reporting system, provide communication training for medical staff, and establish multidisciplinary teams at local level to promote childhood immunisation.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, between 1 February 2024 and 31 January 2025, a total of 32,265 measles cases were diagnosed in the European Union, of which 27,568 were recorded in Romania. The second-ranked country is far behind - Italy, with 1,097 cases, Save the Children said in a press release issued on Monday.
Between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025, 35,736 measles cases were confirmed in Romania, including 27,720 among children under 15 and 3,188 among adolescents aged 15 to 19. During the same period, 30 deaths caused by measles were recorded, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).
National vaccination coverage rates currently stand as follows: BCG - 93.5%; Hepatitis B (three doses) - 55%; DTPa - against diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (three doses) - 55%; IPV - inactivated polio vaccine (three doses) - 55%; Hib (three doses) - 55%; Pneumococcal vaccine (three doses) - 54%; MMR (one dose) - 47.4%.
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