Israel’s Ministry of Health is weighing the cancelation of the measles vaccination program in the nation’s schools due to a critical shortage of manpower, Yediot Achronot reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the ministry has a comprehensive vaccination program for students, but due to a critical shortage of school nurses, the ministry is not only weighing not to expand the program but canceling it altogether.

The measles vaccination program was introduced to the schools over two years ago by order of Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman. The vaccinations were given by nurses operating in the public health sector. They delivered the vaccines during the first two months of the school year to students needing it. The program was hailed a great success as the number of vaccinated students shot up from under 11% to about 50%.

A recent letter sent by a public health official to a number of doctors serving as district heads, it states “Due to the heavy demand on the student healthcare system on the one hand, and the critical shortage of nurses on the other hand, it has been decided not to expand the vaccination program this year”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)