Alleged surge in vaccine refusals sparks concern in Türkiye

The number of individuals refusing vaccines is increasing at an alarming rate, according to Emrah Kirımli, President of the Turkish Medical Association’s Family Medicine Branch (TTB-AHEK), Turkish publication Cumhuriyet reported.

Kirimli accuses the Turkish Ministry of Health of not being transparent about the growing danger posed by vaccine refusals.

‘Vaccine refusals reach dangerous levels‘

According to Cumhuriyet’s report, vaccine refusal has seen a significant surge in recent years, worrying healthcare professionals across the country. Data collected from provincial health directorates and family health centers reveals that the number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children has reached critical levels.

TTB-AHEK reports that in Istanbul alone, approximately 10,000 children registered with family health centers are not receiving their vaccinations each month.

Kirımli shared these concerns, stating: “When we are unable to administer a vaccine, we notify the provincial health directorates. Reasons may vary – whether the child is ill, abroad, has been vaccinated elsewhere, or the family refuses the vaccine. We meticulously document and submit this information for review.”

“In Istanbul, nearly 17,000 doses of vaccines have not been administered, with 90% attributed to vaccine refusal. This accounts for 5% of the population – a significant increase.” Kirimli said.

Vaccination rates plummet in earthquake-affected regions

According to the report, the situation is even more dire in regions affected by recent earthquakes, where vaccine refusal rates have risen to around 10%. “Our 18-month post-earthquake report from TTB indicated a high rate of unvaccinated individuals in these areas, exacerbated by the collapse of the healthcare system and difficulty in accessing vaccines,” Kirimli said.

Kirimli warned that societal immunity is at risk, as vaccination rates need to exceed 97% to maintain community health.

We have lost our societal immunity. Compared to 2016 data, the refusal rate has increased sevenfold. This resurgence of diseases we thought were eradicated – measles, mumps, and whooping cough – results in the tragic deaths of children. The spread of misinformation is leading to a public health crisis.

President of the Turkish Medical Association’s Family Medicine Branch Emrah Kirimli

CHP urges action on growing vaccine refusals

Türkiye’s opposition party CHP’s Deputy Chairman Burhanettin Bulut has brought the alarming increase in vaccine refusals to the attention of the Turkish Parliament recently.

Bulut warned that the number of vaccine refusals, which was just 183 in 2011, is projected to exceed 40,000 by 2024. He called on the Turkish Ministry of Health to raise awareness of the public health risks associated with vaccine refusals and to take urgent measures to address this growing concern.

‘The main reason for the increase is vaccine refusal and instability’

Explaining to the Anadolu Agency that there are various reasons for the increase in measles, Prof. Dr. Ergin Ciftci said: “The main reason for the increase in the number of cases is vaccine instability, vaccine refusal and anti-vaccination, which have started to rise recently.”

Stating that factors such as wars, population movements and the COVID-19 outbreak also disrupted vaccination activities in children, Ciftci said: “There is a segment that does not vaccinate their children because of vaccine refusal. As long as this is the case, we will continue to see measles disease constantly. A child who is not vaccinated will eventually get measles. The fact that the child grows up does not mean that they are free from measles. Measles is a disease that can be fatal at any age.”