Jaundice vaccination among Romanies starts in east Slovakia

The hepatitis vaccination has started among 67 Romany communities at the risk in east Slovakia, Tatiana Drmlikova from the Association for culture, education and communication (ACEC) that organises the campaign told CTK today.

About 7000 adult Romanies are expected to get the hepatitis vaccine. However, although the vaccination is free of charge many people have refused to undergo it, Drmlikova said.

Outbreaks of hepatitis in Slovakia mostly occur in Romany settlements, she said.
"In each community we have selected a health assistant among Romanies who is helping us organise the vaccination," Drmlikova said.

The costs of the vaccination will amount to 16 million Slovak crowns.

Apart from the hepatitis vaccinations, Romanies will also get the influenza vaccine. The campaign is financed by the Union health insurance company.

Many Romanies have refused the vaccination. For instance, only ten people underwent the vaccination in the village Vyborna near Spisska Bela. However, 800 out of the 950 village residents are Romanies.

The last outbreak of the disease occurred in the village of Rakusy near Kezmarok where 12 Romany children contracted jaundice. In this village, 300 people have been given the vaccine.

"The hygienic standards are low in Romany settlements and jaundice is known as the disease of dirty hands," doctor Peter Marko, one of the participants in the project, says.

He said that health awareness of Romanies in east Slovakia was very low.

Adult Romanies in Romany settlements have so far not been regularly vaccinated, he said. However, all children have been regularly vaccinated against hepatitis since 1996.