Acta Medica Medianae
Vol. 48, No3, October, 2009
UDK 61
YU ISSN 0365-4478
 

Correspondence to:

Dragan Laušević
Institut za javno zdravlje
Ljubljanska bb Podgorica, 20000
E-mail:dragan.lausevic@ijz.mn.yu

Original article
UDK: 616.915/.916.1:615.371

TIMELINESS AND LEVEL OF PRIMARY IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE AGAINST MEASLES AND RUBELLA IN MONTENEGRO

Dragan Laušević¹, Branislav Tiodorović², Božidarka Rakočević¹, Vesna Medenica¹, Veselinka Beatović¹ i Alma Hadžifejzović¹

Public Health Institute Podgorica, Montenegro¹
Public Health Institute Niš, Serbia²

The aim of the paper was to determine the timeliness and level of primary immunization coverage against measles and rubella in Montenegro in the cohort born from January 1 to December 31, 2006. Cross-sectional study was conducted in the period from October to December 2008. All immunization points in Montenegro were visited and immunization records of entire cohort born in 2006 were reviewed. Timeliness of primary immunization coverage with MMR was 91.4% at the level of Montenegro, but in the seven municipalities (33,3%) timeliness of primary immunization coverage was less than 90%, including one municipality even with less than 80%. After the additional activities on the vaccination of previously unvaccinated children, primary immunization coverage with MMR reached the value of 96.1% at the level of Montenegro, and in the majority of municipalities exceeded the value of 95%. However, after additional immunization activities in six out of the 21 municipalities (28.6%) primary immunization coverage with MMR was below 95% of which in one municipality below 90%. In the cohort born during 2006, timely primary immunization with MMR was performed in one third of Montenegrin municipalities with the value less than 90%. Supplemental immunization activities related to unvaccinated children significantly increased primary immunization coverage with MMR in the cohort born in 2006. Yet, in certain number of municipalities even after additional immunization activities, primary immunization coverage did not reached the required 95%. In comparison with routine administrative reporting on immunization coverage, the surveys which involve the review of immunization records after additional immunization activities provide more realistic rate of completeness and timeliness of primary immunization coverage. Acta Medica Medianae 2009;48(3): 9-14.

Key words: vaccine-preventable diseases, measles, rubella, MMR, timeliness of immunization, primary immunization coverage, immunization records