At the annual conference of Chilak, the Israeli Society for Community Pediatrics under the Israel Pediatric Association, more than 300 doctors from across the country gathered on Wednesday to discuss declining childhood vaccination rates and broader public health challenges. The main warning came from Prof. Sigal Sadetsky, who was appointed the previous day to head the Health Ministry’s new Public Health Division.
Sadetsky said the share of children who do not get vaccinated has climbed from 5% a decade ago to 12% today. She said the problem is not only ideological opposition to vaccines, but also staffing shortages, access problems and weakened public trust since the coronavirus pandemic. “The issue worries us very much,” she said, adding that logistical barriers in the health system are a major part of the problem.
She pointed to limited manpower, burnout, poor accessibility and insufficient availability at Tipat Halav well-baby clinics. In places such as Bnei Brak, she said, working mothers may not find enough appointments during clinic hours, which delays vaccinations. Sadetsky said the ministry has also seen some improvement after expanding services, opening more clinics and extending hours. “We are seeing an increase in vaccination coverage, and that is good news,” she said.
Sadetsky also described a new computerized system that identifies in real time children who have fallen behind on their vaccine schedule and allows targeted outreach, from SMS messages to parents to direct contact by representatives. She announced that starting July 1, 2026, the MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, will be moved forward to 18 months of age instead of first grade, after a professional review found that earlier protection could reduce infection risk. The change follows measles outbreaks in 2018 to 2019 and in recent years. The conference also emphasized coordination between community pediatricians, hospitals, health offices, Tipat Halav clinics and health funds.
