Following the death of 8-year-old İrem in Kocaeli and a 14-year-old child in Istanbul from meningitis, the demand for vital vaccines to be covered by the Social Security Institution (SGK) has once again come to the fore. The petition launched by Zehra Betül Şenol, mother of a 5-month-old baby, on Change.org has been signed by thousands of people.
Following the death of 8-year-old İrem from meningitis in Kocaeli and the death of a 14-year-old child from the same disease in Istanbul, meningitis vaccines have come to the fore. Following the tragic developments, a petition campaign started by Zehra Betül Şenol, a mother of a 5-month-old baby, was signed by over 8 people in a short time.
The campaign demands that special vaccines such as meningitis and rotavirus, which are vital but not included in the state's free vaccination calendar, be covered by the Social Security Institution (SGK).
The cost of the meningitis vaccine exceeds 10 thousand TL
Zehra Betül Şenol draws attention to the high cost of these vaccines in her campaign text and says: “The cost of the meningitis group B vaccine alone exceeds 10 thousand TL. The cost per dose of the rotavirus vaccine is approximately 2.000 TL. As a mother, it deeply saddens me that we cannot protect our children against vital diseases while going through a difficult economic period. The health of our children should not depend on the income of the families. All children should have equal rights to health.”
Support from experts and physician organizations
The Ankara Medical Chamber made a statement last week and called for “Meningococcal vaccines to be added to the National Vaccination Calendar as soon as possible” and used the following statements: “Meningococcal meningitis is a severe and fatal disease that includes infections of the meninges, spinal cord and bloodstream. This rapidly progressing infection is a condition that requires urgent medical intervention. The most effective and best method of protection against meningococcal meningitis is vaccination.”
The Turkish Medical Association Family Medicine Branch called on the Ministry of Health to inform the public about the increasing meningitis cases.
Only one of the vaccines developed against meningitis is covered by the state
There are two different vaccines developed against different serotypes of meningococcal bacteria that cause meningitis. MenACWY vaccines: Provide protection against serogroups A, C, W and Y. MenB vaccine: Provides protection against serogroup B. In Türkiye, only one of them, the MenACWY vaccine, is included in the state's free vaccination calendar. The MenB vaccine is a vaccine that families must cover entirely with their own means.
