30,000 flu vaccines arrive; Health Minister says vaccination to start by end of October
Minister Sasho Klekovski says the 'Moj termin' booking system should open Tuesday and further shipments will bring the total toward 80,000 doses.
North Macedonia has received an initial shipment of 30,000 seasonal influenza vaccines from European and South Korean manufacturers, Health Minister Sasho Klekovski announced. He said the country remains on track to begin the seasonal vaccination campaign on time.
According to the minister, the national booking platform 'Moj termin' should be activated on Tuesday to allow citizens to register for vaccination, and the authorities plan to start calling people to schedule appointments by the end of the week or the beginning of next week.
Supplies, schedule and further deliveries
The ministry expects another 26,000 doses to arrive by mid-November, and additional shipments after that to reach a planned total of 80,000 vaccines. The first batch that arrived will undergo standard checks and testing before use.
On the logistics side, Klekovski estimated that with the 30,000 doses now in the country, vaccinators can cover roughly 1,500 people per working day until 15 November, and that the 26,000 due later would allow the campaign to reach 56,000 by the end of November. He expressed the hope that the remaining 25,000–30,000 doses will arrive to meet the planned 80,000 total.
Free vaccines are reserved for people aged 65 and above, individuals with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, healthcare workers and children under five. Last season the ministry procured 80,000 doses for risk groups.
Health authorities said the current delay in deliveries stems from a global production lag after the World Health Organization published this season's influenza strains later than usual, which pushed manufacturers' production schedules across Europe and other countries.
Last season the country recorded more than 17,000 flu cases and four deaths from complications. Minister Klekovski added that there are no confirmed influenza cases at present, but other respiratory viruses are circulating; if influenza appears before vaccinations begin, authorities have a contingency plan that includes preventive therapy and treatment for high-risk groups.
Photo: Arhiva
