Japanese BCG vaccines expected in about ten days, says minister

North Macedonia's Ministry of Health says it is awaiting a shipment of Japanese BCG vaccines and expects them to arrive in about ten days, the minister announced, asking the public for patience and stressing that delaying newborn vaccination briefly does not pose a health risk.

Immunisation with the Bulgarian BCG batch remains suspended while laboratory analyses are ongoing. Authorities have not set a new universal vaccination date and are monitoring the situation until the Japanese doses are received and tested.

Debate in neighbouring Croatia

Meanwhile, developments in Croatia have reopened a regional discussion about the future of mandatory BCG vaccination. Croatian health authorities are divided: some experts argue for switching to selective vaccination targeted at newborns from high‑risk groups, while others warn against hasty policy changes.

Health specialists point out that Croatia has seen a recent uptick in tuberculosis cases after years of decline. The rise, though relatively small, is worrying because it follows a long downward trend. Tuberculosis cases are reported more often in poorer communities and are linked in part to migration of workers from countries with higher TB prevalence.

One possible compromise under consideration is to retain the vaccine supply but limit routine BCG immunisation to newborns identified as belonging to risk groups rather than vaccinating all infants. Professional organisations in Croatia remain split: the Croatian Pulmonologists Association is expected to oppose a full stop to vaccination, while the Pediatric Association shows mixed views.

Separately, authorities in North Macedonia say there is no immediate danger to infants if vaccination is postponed for a short period, and they continue to coordinate procurement and testing of alternative vaccine supplies.

Photo: press material from the event