Delayed arrival of flu vaccinations sparks debate

Serkan Alan/ DUVAR

In early October, rumors began swirling regarding a lack of sufficient flu vaccinations in Turkey, resulting in many people asking their pharmacists why this was the case, and signing up on a waiting list in order to receive the vaccination. However, pharmacists have insisted that there is no need to panic, and that getting vaccinated later than expected is better than not doing so at all.  

Turkey's Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca recently announced that 253,000 flu vaccinations had been distributed throughout Turkey, but due to high demand, an additional 500,000 would be distributed in the coming weeks. 

Though according to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), deputy Burhanettin Bulut from the province of Adana, who is a pharmacist by training, the Ministry of Health has not responded to questions regarding the import ratio of vaccinations and whether or not there were delays due to customs issues. 

“The Ministry of Health is saying 'get your vaccinations' but they are not saying when they will arrive. They are required to announce why they aren't arriving but they have not made such a statement. For these reasons, people and pharmacists have come face to face. People are waiting in lines for vaccines and are asking pharmacists for a favor,” Bulut said. 

Turkey Employer Pharmacists Syndicate (TEİS) President Nurten Saydan said that in October pharmacists were receiving limited amounts of flu vaccinations, though she added that certain at-risk groups are in particular need of getting vaccinated. 

“The at-risk groups who need to get the flu vaccination are people older the age of 65, babies between the ages of six months and two years, pregnant women, and people living in nursing homes, as well as those people suffering from chronic issues such as asthma, diabetes, kidney problems and heart problems ” Saydan said. 

The president of the Turkish Pharmacists Association Erdoğan Çolak said that there is no need to panic, and that even if the flu vaccinations arrive late, they will ultimately reach the pharmacies. 

“Even if it's late, there is no harm, only benefit, in getting vaccinated. There is a delay of about a month to 45 days. However, the production is there and they are arriving on the market piece by piece. People can purchase and use these without any problem,” Çolak said.