The scientific societies of Venezuela reiterate their concern about the low vaccination coverage in the country which, according to data revealed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, does not reach 80 %, which implies a “serious epidemiological risk for the appearance of epidemics”.
consulted by VOAHuniades Urbina, an intensivist pediatrician and vice president of the National Academy of Medicine, maintains that the PAHO publications, which are based on official data provided by the Venezuelan State, show that the outlook is “bleak.”
“When one adds and divides and takes the average, we are reaching 48% – 49% of vaccination coverage; The WHO says that vaccination coverage for a country, classified as good, not to mention excellent, should be between 90 to 95% of the population to be vaccinated”, he explains.
Jaime Lorenzo, a doctor specializing in hospital administration and public health and director of the NGO Médicos Unidos por Venezuela, recalls that official information in Venezuela is scarce, but stresses that information published by international agencies allows us to know what the current situation is.
The Venezuelan State maintains a debt of some 11 million dollars with the PAHO Revolving Fund, which prevents it from purchasing vaccines at more affordable prices.
“Venezuela’s debt situation with the Revolving Fund remains unchanged, however, in order to mitigate vaccine-preventable diseases, efforts are being made to mobilize resources through donations and voluntary contributions to support and be able to carry out vaccination campaigns. against measles, polio, yellow fever, diphtheria and others,” said Ciro Ugarte, director of PAHO health emergencies at a press conference on July 13.
Urbina adds that Venezuela also did not contribute its quota to acquire vaccines in 2022 and reiterates that the biologicals that are being supplied have been donated by international organizations.
What is the impact?
The impact of the lack of vaccines, for any population, is the “lack of protection”, especially of the child population, and translates into a rebound in diseases, Urbina details, recalling that, as a consequence of low coverage, in 2016, In Bolívar state, in the south of the country, after 25 years of control, diphtheria reappeared.
“Measles reappeared in Venezuela, after 10 years, not only in Venezuela, in the Americas. We are seeing a higher incidence of diarrhea in infants due to rotavirus since the national government has not bought the vaccine that is in the national immunization schedule for more than 5 years, we have also seen a lot of pneumonia, otitis media, probably due to pneumococcus “, says Urbina.
In this regard, Lorenzo recalls that until 2017 there was vaccination against rotavirus that reduces mortality and infectious processes in children due to diarrhea.
“To the extent that the vaccination percentages are below 95%, there is a greater number of exposed population,” warns Lorenzo.
“If we go from 95% to 76% of the year 2020 and understanding that 2021 and 2022 are going to go down more, those children who have not been vaccinated have a very high possibility of presenting the disease and that we will again register epidemics of measles, diphtheria and whooping cough for not having complied with the vaccination schedules”, he insisted in a conversation with VOA.
According to the Country Report of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), corresponding to 2020 and published by PAHO, rotavirus vaccination coverage was 18% in 2017.
In the case of polio, it went from 82% in 2016 to 62% in 2020; of tuberculosis (BCG) from 100% in 2016 to 82% in 2020 and of SRP1 (measles, mumps and rubella) from 96% in 2017 to 76% in 2020.
The report states that “there is no comprehensive multi-year immunization plan,” and “no information is available on the national committee on immunization practices with written terms of reference.”
Venezuelan scientific societies insist on the need to incorporate vaccines as a “fundamental pillar for disease prevention” and insist on promoting an immunization campaign against polio and other diseases.
On several occasions, Venezuelan government officials have attributed the lack of medicines and medical supplies to international sanctions, since state resources are “blocked.”
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