Although Montenegro has increased the vaccination rate in almost all municipalities, the Institute of Public Health (IJZ) warns that the number of children who have not received the MMR vaccine, ie those vulnerable to measles, is still extremely unsatisfactory and high. MMR vaccine protects children from complications caused by measles, mumps and rubella.
According to the Public Health Institute, more than 6,300 children, born in the period from 2010 to 2015, haven’t received the MMR vaccine. This number should be added the number of children born in 2016 and 2017 sensitive to the vaccine due to their age.
Although the efforts of international and domestic health institutions have been made in recent months in raising public awareness of the danger of spreading measles and the importance of immunization, many parents in Montenegro continue refusing their children to receive MMR vaccine. Consequently, 218 misdemeanour charges were filed, mostly in Podgorica (63), Niksic (59), Bar (27) and Herceg Novi (24).
Mojkovac is the only Montenegrin municipality in which all children are vaccinated. It is followed by Rozaje with 97% vaccination rate, Plav (96%), Pljevlja (86.6%) and Bijelo Polje (88.4), the Institute said.
