Kyrgyzstan Reports Over 5,000 Measles Cases as Epidemiological Situation Remains Tense

As of April 10, Kyrgyzstan is facing a tense epidemiological situation due to a measles outbreak, with 5,168 confirmed cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry said that in accordance with Article 84 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Public Health", the absence of preventive vaccinations entails a temporary restriction on the admission of citizens to educational organizations in case of mass infectious diseases or the threat of epidemics, and, first of all, this applies to preschool children, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kyrgyz media.

According to the Code of the Kyrgyz Republic on Children, every child has an inalienable right to protect and strengthen health, as well as to receive free vaccination services, as provided by law.

There are 1,777 equipped vaccination rooms in the republic. Parents or persons replacing them are required to provide appropriate health care for children.

In addition, 85 mobile teams have been actively working at the primary health care level for 5 years, conducting immunization throughout the republic, including hard-to-reach remote regions, as well as among migrants in new regions in Bishkek.

Local governments provide support in localizing measles outbreaks in order to prevent further spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Health added that up to 20 thousand refusals are registered annually among the population due to religious beliefs (43%) and doubts about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines (45%), which leads to the registration of vaccine-preventable infections.