A framework for improving vaccination coverage for MMR and HPV vaccines in 5th Health Region

Vaccination programmes that are adopted worldwide, aim towards the immunization of the infant population against infectious diseases which, if not prevented, can have serious health implications, even leading to death. The purpose of the present article was to recommend certain proposals that will contribute to the enhancement of vaccination coverage of the MMR and HPV vaccines to the 5th Health Region, which have resulted from an investigation of the vaccination conditions in the counties of Central Greece and Thessaly. According to Greek and international literature, users requiring access to health services face specific social, economic and demographic obstacles, as well as obstacles that are caused by the system itself. These obstacles consist of the primary reasons for the delay of the second MMR jab, and the lack of HPV vaccination in the 5th Health Region. The delay of the second jab in the MMR vaccination process and the small percentages of HPV vaccination in the 5th Health Region, are the main drives for taking strategic decisions for the enhancement of the vaccination coverage in the local and periphery levels

Keywords: Childhood vaccination, 5th health region, vaccination decisions, improving vaccination coverage, MMR vaccine, HPV vaccine