Kyrgyzstan is witnessing a growing complacency towards measles, with some people believing that the vaccine is more dangerous than the disease itself. This misconception has led to a significant decrease in immunisation coverage in the Central Asian state in recent years, especially among children under 12 months. And this growing number of unvaccinated children is translating into an overall decrease in collective immunity - as well as an increase in measles cases.
In December 2017, Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health reported two measles cases from migrant workers returning to the country from Moscow, where they had contracted the virus. In January 2018, 13 more cases were registered in Bishkek, the capital, and the northern Chui region. The fact that measles - a disease which has a free and effective vaccine - is experiencing such an uptick in Kyrgyzstan hints at the country’s changing attitudes towards immunisation.
Both in Europe and globally in the last few years, measles has been making a comeback. In 2015, Kyrgyzstan saw its largest measles outbreak in recent memory when more than 17,000 people contracted the disease. These mostly younger people between the ages of 10 and 19 had not been vaccinated in connection with their parents’ religious views. In response, the country implemented a nationwide vaccination campaign - with young people in Bishkek and Chui region as the principal target group.
