At least 8,800 measles cases were registered in Kyrgyzstan for a year. Epidemiologist of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis, Aichurok Makilova, reported on Birinchi Radio.
According to her, the measles outbreak has been ongoing since 2023. The situation remains alarming in Bishkek, Chui, and Osh regions.
According to the Ministry of Health, more than 5,000 cases of measles have been recorded in the capital, more than 1,000 — in Chui region, and more than 700 cases — in Osh region.
Children aged from 1 to 4 are mostly affected in Bishkek, there are cases among children under 12 months old who are not yet subject to vaccination.
Aichurok Makilova recalled that changes in the vaccination calendar from 2024 require revaccination at two years of age, but many parents do not know this.
Recall, the reason for the high measles incidence is the low level of vaccination. The analysis showed that 94 percent of those infected were not vaccinated, including due to parental refusal, medical exemptions, and not reaching vaccination age.
The Ministry of Health calls on parents and all citizens not to postpone vaccination. Measles vaccinations are included in the national calendar and are available at all healthcare facilities. It is free.
