Vaccinations are one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. They are an important element of protection and prevention, especially among children. The development of effective vaccines has led to a reduction in the incidence of many infectious diseases. For this reason, vaccinations should be a priority in child care.
Mandatory vaccinations
Every child born and living in Poland or staying there for more than 3 months is covered by the Immunization Program. In Poland, compulsory vaccinations are free and required, also for Ukrainian citizens.
The Polish schedule of mandatory vaccinations includes vaccines against hepatitis B, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) infections. Unlike the Ukrainian vaccination schedule, free vaccines also include those against pneumococci and rotaviruses.
Źródło: Ministerstwo Zdrowia
Recommended vaccinations
The calendar also includes vaccinations that are not mandatory in Poland, but are recommended. These are vaccines against diseases that occur frequently among young children or that are characterized by serious complications, i.e. against:
- invasive meningococcal disease,
- chickenpox (free for children attending nurseries or clubs)
- HPV (free for children aged 12-13)
- hepatitis A (HBV)
- seasonal flu
- tick-borne encephalitis
Most recommended vaccinations are subject to payment in Poland.
Źródło: Ministerstwo Zdrowia
What are combination vaccines?
Among the mandatory vaccinations for children there is a group of vaccines called 4in1, 5in1 or 6in1. These are combination vaccines, i.e. multi-component vaccines that protect against several diseases with just one injection. These vaccines are especially recommended for young children because they limit the number of injections, which is an unpleasant experience for an infant.
4-in-1 vaccines protect against: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and poliomyelitis. 5-in-1 vaccines also protect against Haemophilus inftuenzae type b (Hib), and 6-in-1 vaccines also protect against hepatitis B virus (HBV).
How to vaccinate a child in Poland?
Citizens of Ukraine who arrived in our country after February 24, 2022 and reside here legally are entitled to free public health care in Poland. If you want to vaccinate your child, register them at a clinic cooperating with the National Health Fund and take them to see a primary care physician.
During the visit, show your child’s Ukrainian vaccination card, and if you do not have it, tell the pediatrician what vaccinations your child received before coming to Poland. The specialist will create an individual vaccination program for your little one: decide which vaccinations are missing, which ones need to be repeated, etc.
Before each vaccination, the child will be qualified for the procedure, i.e. the pediatrician will examine the child and check whether he or she has any infection that would be a contraindication to vaccination. Vaccines are only administered to healthy children to minimize the risk of adverse reactions following vaccination (ADRs).
