Polio Vaccination Conducted Improperly, FIP Reports

The Fact Checking Platform has released a statement: "The additional vaccinations against polio conducted across the Republic of Armenia from May 20 to June 30 this year contradict the national immunization schedule and are devoid of justification. What is the reason for the additional polio vaccinations in the Republic of Armenia? Why were children aged 3-4, who had already received the planned polio vaccination, called for additional vaccination instead of the scheduled vaccination at 6 years old? Was there a real danger of spreading the disease in Armenia at the time the order for additional vaccination against polio was issued, and what is the basis for that? We sought answers to these raised questions through official inquiries, legal acts, interviews with responsible individuals in the field, and studies of publications from international organizations.

Thus, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia, Arsen Torosyan, signed an order on May 15, 2019, stating that from May 20 to June 30, additional vaccinations against polio with a bivalent oral vaccine should be organized and conducted among children aged 18 months to 4 years (4 years 11 months 29 days old).

To understand the justifications for the additional vaccination against polio, we sent an inquiry to the Ministry of Health on May 31, 2019, which resulted in several justifications being provided. One of the justifications references the statement by the World Health Organization that Type 1 Poliovirus has been detected in the environment of neighboring Iran, which epidemiologists relate to the circulating polio cases in Pakistan. Such a statement by the World Health Organization was indeed made; however, it was on May 24, meaning nine days after the Minister of Health of Armenia's order, indicating that the World Health Organization's statement could not have served as a basis for announcing additional vaccinations against polio in Armenia.

Another justification for announcing additional vaccinations is the decline in the vaccination coverage against polio in Armenia. It should be noted that, according to the minister's order, even children who have been vaccinated against polio and have registered positive results were indeed called for additional vaccination. This is especially significant given that all polyclinics in Armenia are required to maintain reporting sheets regarding vaccinations received, as well as the child’s positive or negative susceptibility to the vaccine, in accordance with established procedures.

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