Slovakia’s long-standing vaccination issue gets urgently problematic

While the fifth round of COVID-19 vaccination encounters re-occurring delays in Slovakia, the country’s problem with immunisation seems to be rooted deeper.

The COVID-19 pandemic cast a glaring spotlight on the vulnerabilities and insufficiencies of Slovakia’s healthcare system. One of the current major concerns is the nation’s subpar vaccination rates, which are creating a public health challenge.

Slovakia trails behind most EU/EEA countries in COVID-19 vaccination rates, outpacing only Bulgaria and Romania. With just over half of the population having received two doses, Slovakia finds itself well below the 73% EU average. When considering booster shots, the rates drop even lower.

During the fifth round of COVID-19 vaccination in Slovakia, which began in September, issues of long waiting times and limited accessibility resurfaced from the previous waves, mainly in the capital Bratislava.

The COVID booster shot was available in only two hospitals, each with a daily capacity of 100 vaccinations. Citizens faced extended waiting periods, with the earliest slots offered 11-18 days after an online registration.

Responding to the heightened demand, the Health Ministry addressed these concerns on 31 October, increasing capacity to three hospitals, accommodating 350 people daily each. This response, though valid, came after weeks of unmet demand.

Analysts from the National Bank of Slovakia attribute the low COVID-19 vaccination rates to worsened accessibility, crisis mismanagement, misinformation spread, and pandemic miscommunication. However, vaccine hesitancy extends beyond COVID-19.

Slovakia’s vaccination rates for critical vaccines, such as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), flu, and HPV (human papillomavirus), are consistently below the EU and OECD standards and fall short of the World Health Organisation recommendations.

According to experts, the most effective method of prevention against these diseases is vaccination.

MMR collective immunity jeopardised

This year, MMR vaccination rates in Slovakia fell below the 95% threshold that ensures collective immunity. The mandatory three-dose vaccine became a part of societal debates and the subject of disinformation, with a rising number of MMR vaccination deniers.

Currently, six cities, representing almost 7% of the Slovak population, record below 90% MMR rates.

The Public Health Authority assesses this situation as unfavourable, given that the population’s collective immunity is decreasing, and warns that “local measles outbreaks cannot be ruled out.”

The health ministry remains passive on this matter, and no major initiative has been implemented.

Flu season not enough to bolster vaccination rates

Slovakia’s battle against vaccine hesitancy extends to the flu vaccine, particularly among the elderly.

According to an OECD study, the flu vaccine reaches at least half of the 65+ population in most Western countries, compared to Slovakia’s 10%. This results not only in a small number of protected elderly citizens but also in thousands of unused vaccines wasted and thrown away.

In a bid to tackle this issue, a significant step was taken: Starting next year, a new law allows flu vaccination to be administered in certified pharmacies.

This follows a successful model from other nations, like Denmark, Ireland, or Portugal. According to the Slovak Medical Chamber, simplifying the process is a strong move forward to remove barriers for adults seeking flu vaccination.

HPV vaccination on a positive trajectory

While Slovakia fails to achieve the WHO and national goal of a 90% vaccination rate for HPV among children aged 15 and below, new measures have been introduced.

Since last year, the vaccine has been fully reimbursed for children aged 12 or younger, and starting December 1, it will also be available for children aged 13 to 15. The reimbursement drops to 50% for those aged 18 and younger.

The health ministry is cooperating with patient and paediatric organisations, health insurance companies, and NGOs to raise awareness and highlight the danger of HPV and the importance of vaccines as a protection.

The vaccination rate is still below the EU standard, with observable regional disparities. However, the improved focus and ensured reimbursement present meaningful strides to ensure young peoples’ protection from diseases caused by the HPV virus.

A chance to shift the narrative

The three ruling parties in the new government, sworn in two weeks ago – SMER (Direction), Hlas (Voice), and SNS (Slovak National Party) – all ran on an anti-vaccination platform, contributing to the negative attitude during COVID-19. It is highly unlikely that the parties would retreat from their strong campaign position.

However, by increasing the vaccination capacities and encouraging citizens to get the COVID and flu vaccines, the new health minister, Zuzana Dolinková (Hlas), seems to want to bridge the trust gap and recognise the vital role immunisation plays in securing public health.

Whether vaccine hesitancy will be addressed in any capacity by Dolinková’s office remains to be seen pending the publication of the ministry’s official agenda and priorities for this term, to be set out by the new health minister.

(Filip Áč – Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi/Zoran Radosavljevic | Euractiv.com)

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