In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), vaccination of children against infectious diseases is mandatory, with parents facing fines of up to 2,000 BAM for non-compliance.
Despite this, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows a decline in measles vaccination rates over the past two decades, from 74% in 2000 to 60% in 2022 in BiH.
Inspections at 12 government levels enforce penalties, but the total number of punished parents is unknown.
Mirona from Banja Luka suggests harsher punishments for vaccine-refusing parents to combat the trend.
BiH lacks a centralized database on measles cases and vaccination statistics, with separate records maintained by different entities and cantons, reflecting the fragmented healthcare governance structure, as reported by Radio Slobodna Evropa.