A measles epidemic was declared in Struga, after 24 patients were diagnosed with he disease, which hit the Struga hospital especially hard with seven employees now infected.

We are appealing to the parents to vaccinate their children in accordance with the recommended calendar. The best protection against this disease is to be vaccinated, said doctor Jovanka Surlakova – Korovesovska.

Earlier this year it was estimated that 15.000 children have not received the measles vaccine, which alarmed healthcare experts.

The Healthcare Ministry greatly contributed to the erosion in trust in vaccines after Minister Venko Filipce approved a PR campaign meant to get Macedonians to support the referendum to change the name of the country, which contained a promise that once in the EU the country will have safe vaccines. This prompted questions whether the vaccines in use now are safe. Then the Ministry also tried to shrug off the discovery of a batch of expired vaccines as a “labelling issue” before ordering them destroyed. And for his final act, Filipce posted a picture in which he claimed that he is vaccinating his niece with the measles vaccine to guarantee its safety. But, when asked why is the nurse giving the shot with the green safety cap still on the needle, and whether the toddler is too young to receive the vaccine, Filipce admitted that he was just pretending to be vaccinating his niece.