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05-06-2025

Health Insurance Funds would like to remind: children are vaccinated against these diseases free of charge

Iliustracija

Although contagious diseases can be controlled by vaccination, outbreaks of these diseases show that not all parents decide to vaccinate their children. Often there is a fear that adverse reactions will occur to the child. However, according to the health professionals, it is not the vaccine that should be feared, but the disease and its complications. The vaccinations do not cost parents any money, as they are paid for by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund.

In Lithuania, according to the timetable set out in the Children’s Preventive Vaccination Calendar, newborns, infants and children are vaccinated free of charge in health care institutions against 14 diseases: tuberculosis, hepatitis B, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type B, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, pneumococcus, human papillomavirus, rotavirus and meningococcal type B. 

For some infections, vaccinations are repeated 2-4 times in the first 2 years of a child’s life and onwards. 

For a small proportion of newborns - up to 2% - vaccination is delayed or not available due to established medical indications (premature infants, immunosuppressive conditions, sepsis, etc.). Unfortunately, however, around 5% of newborns are not vaccinated after parental refusal.

According to doctors, children under 2 years of age receive most of their preventive vaccinations to protect them from external viruses and bacteria that can be transmitted from the environment. Diseases are most dangerous not only in terms of symptoms but also complications, and babies under 1 year are the most vulnerable. 

The hepatitis B vaccine is the first vaccine a newborn receives. Doctors say it is important to vaccinate a newborn within the first 24 hours because a baby can be infected with hepatitis B during birth through various human fluids such as blood, and can also be infected by the mother if she has the disease herself. The vaccine is also given to children aged 1 and 6 months. 

The second vaccine given to newborns is against tuberculosis. It is given to the baby on the second or third day of life.

The pneumococcal vaccine is intended to protect against infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, such as meningitis, pneumonia or otitis media. It is given to children aged 2, 4 and 12-15 months.

The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is given to children aged 15 months and 6-7 years. It protects against measles, mumps and rubella, which can cause serious complications such as encephalitis or infertility.

The HPV vaccine is for girls and boys aged 11 years. It protects against HPV infection, which is one of the main causes of anal and external genital cancers in men and women.

Since autumn last year, the seasonal flu vaccine has been available free of charge to all children aged 2-7 years (inclusive). If children of this age have not been vaccinated with the flu vaccine before, they are given two doses of the vaccine, with the second dose to be administered no earlier than 4 weeks later.  

If bitten by any animal, a child can also get a free rabies vaccination. The vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin are both paid for by the Health Insurance Fund.

The Health Insurance Fund reminds that if children are not vaccinated on time, their family doctor will draw up an individual vaccination plan for each patient.

Before each vaccination, parents or guardians must be informed about the procedure for administering the vaccines, possible adverse reactions to the vaccine, and must sign the child’s health development record in order to receive the information and to agree to the vaccination.

The NHIF invites you:

Last updated: 25-06-2025

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