Ministry of Health accuses UOC of having anti-vaccine sentiments

The Chief Sanitary Doctor, Ihor Kuzin, believes that due to the "ban" on the UOC, anti-vaccine sentiments in the country have decreased. Photo: Ukrinform.

Ihor Kuzin, the Chief Sanitary Doctor and Deputy Minister of Health, said on Ukrinform TV that UOC members do not support vaccination.

"When we conducted vaccination campaigns and immunization rounds even in the pre-COVID era, we noticed that cells of the Moscow Patriarchate are almost universally anti-vaccine-oriented. Moreover, they spread this to other groups, meaning they are aggressively oriented," Kuzin said.

He claimed that the UOC (which the Deputy Minister persistently calls the "Moscow Patriarchate") is currently "banned." Supposedly, because of this, the anti-vaccine influence in Ukrainian society has been "significantly reduced" now.

"People are listening, showing interest (in vaccination), taking informational materials and starting to study," Kuzin stressed, saying that Ukrainians are in great need of measles vaccination.

He also lamented that "misunderstanding" of the benefits of vaccination occurs not only among the general population but also among teachers and even healthcare workers.

As earlier reported, the head of the WHO declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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