Building Capacity and Community Trust to Strengthen Vaccination Efforts in Romania

Vaccines - among the best-tested medical products available

Every parent wants to protect their child. We baby-proof our homes, choose the best possible schools, and teach them to look both ways before crossing the street. Yet when it comes to vaccinations - one of the simplest, less costly and most effective ways to defend our children from harm - some parents hesitate, unsure of what choice would be best.

Dr. Claudia Cojocaru, a Bucharest-based neonatologist and mother of two, understands this hesitation better than most. As a healthcare professional and a parent, she has made it her mission to ensure that new parents have access to accurate information about immunization.

Dr. Cojocaru’s journey into vaccine advocacy began in 2019 when she contracted measles during her infectious disease’s residency. “Measles is a highly immunosuppressive disease. It weakens an individual's immune system significantly and has a much greater impact than many people realize. I got it from patients, and it was rough. I was even hospitalized,” she recalls. At the time, she was also a new mother, which made the experience even more difficult. Her own daughters, now almost seven and five years old, have been fully vaccinated, and seeing them thrive as babies and toddlers reinforced Dr. Cojocaru’s commitment. During her maternity leave, instead of stepping away from her work, she chose to dive deeper into the science behind vaccines. “I took advantage of that time reading and learning as much as I could. Vaccines are among the most thoroughly tested medical products out there, yet so many parents choose to believe unverified sources they find online instead of trusting healthcare professionals,” she says.

Combating the wave of misinformation

One of the biggest obstacles Dr. Cojocaru faces is the wave of misinformation circulating on social media. Parenting groups and online communities, she notes, are often rife with myths and cautionary tales taken out of context that cause unnecessary fear. To bring her contribution, she started a professional social media account, where she shares evidence-based information about vaccines in a clear and relatable way.

“I’ve heard parents asking, for example, ‘Why vaccinate against a disease that’s been eradicated?’ or ‘Are vaccines really safe during pregnancy?’ These aren’t bad questions—they’re natural ones. But the answers need to come from trusted sources, not from rumours posted online,” she explains. Her posts address these concerns on the online channels that parents use the most, aiming to provide scientific facts while also opening conversations and building trust.

Training courses for health professionals 

Due to her medical expertise and keen interest in immunization, Dr. Cojocaru’s impact has extended beyond her patients and her online presence. As part of a UNICEF-supported initiative in collaboration with the Association of Independent Midwives (AMI), Dr. Cojocaru has been involved in delivering trainings to healthcare professionals across eight Romanian counties. This programme aims to strengthen the skills of doctors, nurses, and midwives, ensuring they can provide accurate information on vaccination while also communicating effectively and empathetically with new or hesitant parents. As part of this initiative, in 2024 alone, 530 health professionals with various specialties have participated in maternal and perinatal care in-person trainings, focusing on antenatal and postnatal care, immunization, GVB, breastfeeding and nutrition topics. Training materials and resources from these workshops have been shared with the Ministry of Health, distributed to public healthcare professionals, and are freely available online for anyone looking to learn current information on early childhood vaccination.

“I love working one-on-one with people, whether it’s parents or fellow healthcare workers. These workshops are a chance to address the challenges head-on and come up with practical solutions,” Dr. Cojocaru says. “It’s not enough to say vaccines are important. As a medical professional, you have to understand and explain why, and you have to listen to their concerns.” 

Health system challenges and the role of institutions

The challenges in Romania’s healthcare system go beyond vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. The workshops also address systemic challenges such as the lack of trained professionals in rural areas and the uneven distribution of general practitioners. Even in urban areas, some general practitioners aren’t trained to handle pediatric vaccination schedules, which, unfortunately, creates gaps in care. Dr. Cojocaru advocates for solutions like mobile vaccination or information caravans and targeted training programs for family doctors working with young children and new parents.

Between January 2023 and September 2024, nearly 24,000 measles cases were officially reported in Romania, resulting in 21 preventable deaths. These numbers are a sobering reminder of what’s at stake for the children in Romania. Dr. Cojocaru believes that reversing this trend would require a collective effort in awareness raising and combating misinformation, from healthcare professionals to policymakers to parents. “We need better training for doctors on this topic, starting in residency. Many family doctors end up working with children without ever being properly taught about vaccination schedules during their residencies. This creates steep learning curves, makes their job harder, and it can even leave families without the guidance they need.”

She believes hospitals and public health authorities need to take a more active role. “Every doctor who works with pregnant women or new mothers should be prepared to talk about vaccines. One way to make sure that doctors have up-to-date information on vaccines would be to have information campaigns delivered to them in the hospitals or clinics,” she says.

A coordinated approach and strong partnerships with the public health system

Dr. Cojocaru’s work with UNICEF and AMI has already made an impact, providing healthcare workers with the tools they need to improve immunization rates. Her work shows that a modern approach to vaccination involves building trust, sharing knowledge, and helping parents feel confident in their choices for their children. Her impact is rooted in understanding, both science of immunization and the concerns that parents have.

Improving vaccination rates and protecting children’s health requires a coordinated approach and strong partnerships with the public healthcare system. In Romania, where misinformation and limited access to healthcare in rural areas pose significant challenges, UNICEF is stepping in to provide strategic support where it’s needed most. By offering training for healthcare professionals, improving communication with parents, and ensuring reliable information is easily accessible, UNICEF is helping to strengthen the system and empower families. This initiative was made possible thanks to the generous support of CRH, through a donation facilitated by the UNICEF Irish National Committee. CRH is partnering with UNICEF globally to deliver life-saving vaccines and build healthier communities by supporting immunization programs for the most vulnerable children, ensuring a healthier future for every child.