Key points:
- The updated calendar will come into effect in 2026.
- Mandatory HPV vaccination is included.
- The hepatitis B vaccination schedule is changing.
- The second dose of KPC is postponed for 4 years.
- BCG will be administered 24 hours after birth.
- Ukraine is switching to an inactivated polio vaccine.
An updated preventive vaccination calendar will come into effect in Ukraine on 1 January 2026. It will cover mandatory vaccinations against 11 infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hib infection, and human papillomavirus. The Ministry of Health reports that the updates are aimed at early protection of children, simplification of procedures, and transition to more modern drugs.
One of the main changes will be the inclusion of HPV vaccination in the mandatory programme. Girls aged 12–13 will be vaccinated once with a 9-valent vaccine that provides protection against the most dangerous types of the virus. Ukraine has already purchased the necessary batches of the drug to start the programme without further delay.
The hepatitis B vaccination schedule is also changing. In the new calendar, vaccinations will be given at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months. This will allow for wider use of combination vaccines, reducing the number of injections and visits to the doctor and making the process more convenient for both parents and healthcare professionals.
The adjustment also applies to vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella. Children will receive their first vaccination at one year of age and their second at four years of age. This will allow protection to develop earlier, which is important in the context of periodic measles outbreaks.
The schedule for administering the BCG vaccine has been updated. It will be given 24 hours after birth. Children under nine months of age will be vaccinated without tuberculin testing if there is no confirmed contact with a person with tuberculosis.
Ukraine is also switching completely to the inactivated polio vaccine. It is considered safer and more effective, and the change in format brings the national calendar into line with international recommendations.
All schedule adjustments will take effect from the beginning of 2026. Family doctors will help update individual vaccination plans to reflect the new requirements.
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