University authorities encourage flu vaccination

10.10.2019

Autumn is here and with it the flu season. Vaccination is by far the most effective way of protecting onself from falling ill. It provides both individual and population immunity. In order the emphasize the importance of vaccination the representatives of the authorities of the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Pomeranian Department of the National Health Fund, the Pomeranian Voivodship Office, the Marshal’s Office and the Pomeranian Voivodship Sanitary Inspector met on October 4th in the MUG’s Family Medicine Centre.

Prof. Marcin Gruchała – Rector of the MUG, Prof. Tomasz Smiatacz – the Vice Rector for Student Affairs, Prof. Edyta Szurowska — Vice Rector for Clinical Affairs, Tomasz Augustyniak – Pomeranian State Regional Sanitary Inspector, Jerzy Karpiński – Director of the PUW Health Department, , Elżbieta Rucińska-Kulesz – Pomeranian Regional Doctor and the Director of the Pomeranian Department of the National Health Fund, Małgorzata Grodziewicz – Deputy Director for Medical Affairs in the Pomeranian National Health Fund , Agnieszka Kapała-Sokalska – member of the board of the Pomeranian Voivodeship and Tadeusz Jędrzejczyk, Ph.D. – the Director of the Health Department of the Marshal’s Office were all presented during the event.

— I vaccinate because I want to set an example – says the the MUG Rector, Prof. Marcin Gruchała – I have been vaccinating for many years now. Not only for my personal benefit, but first and foremost for my relatives and the patients under my care who are much safer this way. Vaccination guarantees a lower risk of developing influenza complications, but also passing on the infection to my family, older parents with chronic conditions and my patients who are most often elderly people for whom flu can be a lethal threat.

Although scientific research clearly confirms the effectiveness of vaccinations in preventing the outspread of infectious diseases, their use remains at a dramatically low level in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Morover, recent statistic data provided by the Voivodship Sanitary and Epidemiological Station shows that in the second half of September a significant increase of the influenza incidence in the region. Hence, it is more essential now than ever to vaccinate ourseleves against the disease and thereby, provide our bodies with proper immunity.