WEBINAR: VACCINE PROPHYLACTICS FROM VARIOUS ASPECTS
On the 30 th of May, “Astra Forum” Foundation, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF held 8 th in a row webinar of the topic “Vaccine prophylactics from various aspects” of the sequence “School for vaccines”. At the background of the dangerous decline of immunization coverage in Bulgaria, “Astra Forum” Foundation offers a scope for dialogue and provides various points of view for
identifying the issues and finding the right solutions.
The chairman of the Foundation, Momchil Baev, doctor of medicine opened the webinar and presented the participants – associate professor Svetlin Tsonev, cardiologist, doctor Miroslava Kiselkova, head of department “Anti-epidemiological control” in the Regional Health Inspectorate Bourgas and Vanya Dobreva, chairperson of association “Hipofiza” (“Pituitary gland”).
CIRCULATORY COMPLICATIONS
The COVID-19 pandemics outlined numerous circulatory complications and taught us to cope with them, associate professor Tsonev shared. He reviewed the recommendations for coping with complications after vaccination, and underlined that post-vaccination risks are much lower – 1 per 100 000, compared to complications and per cent of hospitalizations in the case of diseases. The risk of arterial and venous vessel accidents’ occurrence remains high and for 12 months after being sick. COVID-19 brings about complications in numerous accompanying diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, and poor control over these diseases is the reason behind high mortality rate in Bulgaria. Associate professor Tsonev was of the firm opinion that vaccines are safe for patients with circulatory diseases and these should get prophylactics through them.
UKRAINIAN REFUGEES
In the capacity of representative of Regional Health Inspectorate Bourgas, one of the regions with the highest accumulation of Ukrainian refugees doctor Miroslava Kiselkova stated the issue about vaccine prophylactics of the Ukrainian citizens who reside in Bulgaria. In situations of military conflicts, vaccine prophylactics of migrants and refugees is essential since the risk of epidemic outbursts increases because of the poor work of our healthcare systems in military situation, doctor Kiselkova declared. The inclusion of refugees with temporary protection in the system for medical service and introduction of mechanisms for control of their immunization status outlines numerous hindering circumstances noted by doctor Kiselkova – the high number of Ukrainian citizens without statute for temporary protection, the difference between the immunization calendars of Bulgaria and Ukraine, the language barrier, frequent change of the accommodation place, erroneous transliteration of refugees’ names. The specialist highlighted that Ukrainian refugees’ successful integration depends on the good interaction between municipal bodies, healthcare authorities, social and educational system.
The chairperson of association “Hipofiza” Vanua Dobreva reviewed the issues of health service of
Ukrainian citizens in Bulgaria – remoteness of the accommodation locations from healthcare and kindergartens, late accession of refugees in the healthcare system, limited access to general practitioners, which hinders vaccination, no health insurances and health service provided to persons with disabilities etc. She raised the issue about integrating Ukrainian citizens with medical majors in the healthcare system of Bulgaria and called for uniting the efforts of both municipalities with the highest number of Ukrainian refugees – Varna and Bourgas.
In the subsequent discussion, the representative of Regional Health Inspectorate Bourgas and the chairperson of association “Hipophiza” outlined joint actions.
Questions were asked by the webinar attendees to the attention of associate professor Tsonev about a specific complication after suffered COVID-19 and about the difference between the recovery terms from circulatory complications after vaccination and pulling through the illness.
Associate professor Tsonev answered that in the rare cases of complications after vaccination we achieve full recovery for short term, whereas even partial recovery after pulling though the illness could take years.
Momchil Baev, doctor of medicine, chairman of “Astra Forum” Foundation thanked the meeting attendees and underlined that the purpose of these meetings is namely to look for the crossing points between institutions and the different organizations in order to effectively solve the issues.
