Croatia will offer free RSV vaccine to all children
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Croatia’s Ministry of Health will begin providing free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations to all children this fall.
Until now, only children with specific risk factors received the vaccine without charge. Minister of Health Irena Hrstić announced the expansion of the vaccination program, emphasizing that participation remains voluntary. The Croatian Institute of Public Health is preparing to purchase the vaccines as the RSV season approaches in October.
In addition to the RSV vaccine, Croatia plans to offer free vaccines against meningococcus, rotavirus, chickenpox, and influenza starting next year, though these will be fully implemented in 2027. The decision to make the RSV vaccine available in 2026, before the full rollout of the other vaccines, aims to protect children during the current season. Parents have welcomed the news, citing the financial relief the free vaccines will provide.
Previously, a single dose of the RSV vaccine cost around 205 euros, and the meningococcal vaccine around 96 euros. Pediatricians also support the measure, believing it will ease the burden on the healthcare system during peak RSV season and acknowledge parents who choose to vaccinate their children.
