SECOND DAY OF THE SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES (GALLERY)
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
“Epidemiology and public health” is the first panel of the second day, of the Second National Conference in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Professor Radostina Aleksandrova presented the topic “Climate changes, infectious diseases, vaccines and challenges to human health.” Here are the highlights of her lecture:
- The average temperature of Earth surface has increased with 0,74 °C in the 20 th century;
- The sea level increases with 1,8 mm annually since 1961;
- The arctic marine ice shrinks with 2,7% per decade.
Professor Aleksandrova noted that 2023 was the hottest year in history. October of 2023 was the warmest October worldwide, according to the data of the European climate scientists, published on Wednesday (08.11.2023) “We expect that the interval from 2023 to 2027 would be the warmest five-year period ever registered. The virologist reminded us that climate change has been recognized by the WHO as an important engine of the occurring problems that endanger food and fodder safety, plant, animal and human health.
INFORMATION IN NUMBERS
Ivaylo Spasov from UNICEF-Bulgaria presented data from researches on the attitudes of parents and general practitioners towards the mandatory immunization calendar in Bulgaria, in the VII panel of the Second national conference in vaccine-preventable diseases.
- 61% of the parents support mandatory vaccines and would like all or even additional vaccines to be administered;
- 3,8% believe that immunization calendar should be supplemented by other vaccines;
- 13% of the parents back greater freedom when choosing and cutting down on the number of mandatory vaccines (they would like just some of the vaccines included in the immunization calendar to be administered for their child);
- Around 8% of the parents believe that no vaccine is supposed to be mandatory.
Nevertheless what is the reason behind parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children? The data show that the main pretext is the chance of side effects. Other widespread worries are also related to the quality of vaccines and presence of harmful ingredients in them. One of the widespread worries refers to the myth that vaccines cause autism.
COMMUNICATION
How important communication is and how important it is for the doctor to know the types of patients- these were the main highlights of the lecture “Communication skills for increasing immunization coverage” by Ivaylo Kunev. “Unfortunately, it is not enough to be a good doctor, the patient should be able to realize it him- or herself.” He presented the thesis of the famous Jordan Peterson, who says that over 70% of his patients do not adhere to their therapy that in itself means that “people so strongly dislike of themselves they would like to get done with themselves”. “Should we catch a patient who does not adhere to his therapy, let’s say taking care after his cat or dog– for sure he won’t miss a vaccination model for his dog, he won’t miss the pill at the right time for his cat. As if people do not love themselves.“
HPV
“Human papilloma virus HPV” – one of the most pending and expected topics at the Second National Conference in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases on the occasion of the new adjuvant non-infectious, recombinant, 9-valent vaccine – Gardasil 9. Elena Papudzhieva presented the newly established association “Coalition HPV”, whose mission is to prevent the dissemination of HPV-related diseases, protect public health and future of the nation. The members of the Coalition are: professor Radka Argirova, doctor Atoaneta Tomova, Associate professor PhD Yordanka Uzunova, Associate professor PhD Iliya Karagyozov, doctor Gergana Nikolova, doctor
Hristina Batselova, Elena Papudzhieva and Rosyana Hristova, doctor Momchil Baev, professor Ivaylo Tarnev, Plamena Nikolova, doctor Radosveta Stamenkova, associate professor Hristina Lebanova.
“Bulgaria ranks among the first countries when it comes to the HPV disease rate” professor PhD Ivanka Dimova from the Medical University Sofia says. “Vaccination could significantly reduce the number of HPV-predefined cancer in the future. Yet not everyone gets vaccinated so there are still people who remain without protection. One of the main steps to be taken in the future without changing the
sequence of tests, i.e. cervical cells should firstly be tested for HPV, and then analyzed under microscope. “This small change could have great significance: research work shows that it could save more lives than the programs until now. This approach has been implemented in the latest recommendations by the WHO”, professor Dimova declared. In a discussion panel devoted to HPV, professor Argirova explained that HPV viruses are more than 200, yet 14 of them could cause cancer or precancer condition.
“There is way to prevent these diseases – after getting vaccinated. Yet this is not flu vaccination, but though for the future ahead of us and investment in the future generations”, Argirova believes. It proves that immunization coverage in Bulgaria is only 3%. The professor explained that the first to blame are the doctors for the low immunization coverage. “We need to know how to talk with people.
The greatest weakness of doctors in Bulgaria is they do not know how to talk with patients. The NGOs and the Ministry should make efforts. They all need to bear responsibility. I call for prophylactics not to be subject of the Ministry itself, but of society itself. Including, the efforts to have teachers and employers participate.“
