Romania faces vaccination gap as over 19,000 children miss MMR shots

Romania is confronting a public‑health crisis, with more than 19,000 children identified as lacking vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The National Immunisation Calendar has seen historically low coverage in 2024‑2025, prompting 35,736 reported measles cases and 30 deaths between 2023 and 2025.

In response, the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health launched the "Copil vaccinat = copil protejat" campaign from 20 to 30 April, operating in over 30 localities across eight counties. Of the 19,528 children flagged as MMR “restanţieri”, 694 received vaccines through mobile caravans supported by the Romanian Red Cross. The effort included door‑to‑door visits, printed informational materials, online outreach, and school‑based education.

Organisers reported challenges such as low urban outreach, parental refusal driven by misinformation, and logistical gaps. Recommendations for future rounds stress targeting rural areas, tailoring communication, increasing family‑doctor involvement, extending pre‑campaign information periods, and integrating additional medical services. The Red Cross allocated 40,000 lei to cover logistics for the eight participating county branches.