Turkey's shortage of flu, pneumococcal vaccines may cause 'crisis' in flu season, warns MP

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Turkey's shortage of influenza and pneumonia vaccines may cause a "crisis" due to increasing demand amid the coronavirus pandemic, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Murat Emir has said.

One of the two major vaccine supplier companies to Turkey, Sanofi Pasteur, made plans based on last years' numbers, he said in a parliamentary question to Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca.

"After the pneumococcal vaccine, the crisis is at our doorstep for influenza vaccine as well. The Minister of Industry and the Minister of Health have been telling the good news about vaccines for years but because of insufficient domestic production, Turkey is again at foreign firms' mercy for vaccines," he stated.

While vaccination of people in Covid-19 risk groups has become more important due to the pandemic, people are having difficulties accessing the pneumococcal vaccine, said the MP.

People in the risk group, including those over 65 years of age and those who have COPD, asthma, diabetes, chronic cardiac insufficiency, chronic kidney insufficiency and cancer, are not been able to get vaccinated at Family Healthcare Centers and "rushing to pharmacies in panic," according to the parliamentary question.

Pneumococcal vaccine is sold at 365 Turkish lira (~50 USD), he noted and added that those who are not able to afford vaccines have to wait for as long as 45 days for a vaccine.

"Scientific Committee members recommend that all citizens get the flu vaccine as of September in order for flu symptoms not to be confused with coronavirus, but there are questions about whether the Ministry of Health will be able to provide enough flu vaccines," he stated. "While the Minister of Health states that they are working to obtain more and more flu vaccines, suppliers say the opposite." (AÖ/VK)