A decade ago, Latin America had some of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the world. However, recent estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveal a concerning decline in vaccination coverage in the region.
According to these organizations, Latin America’s vaccination coverage now lags five points below the global average, with an estimated 1.2 million children lacking the first dose of the DTP3 vaccine (which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis). Additionally, nearly two million children in the region are at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases.
Disturbingly, 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have witnessed a decrease in DTP3 and measles vaccination coverage. The situation is particularly alarming in Bolivia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela, where coverage has plummeted by 20 points or more since 2012.
Several factors contribute to this decline in coverage at the regional level. These include reduced public campaigns promoting the importance of vaccines, deteriorating health systems, anti-vaccine movements, the ongoing health crisis brought about by the pandemic, and limited funding allocated for vaccine procurement.
Interestingly, import data on vaccines for human use obtained from the United Nations Comtrade shows that two of the countries with the steepest declines in coverage, Ecuador and Venezuela, experienced a decrease in vaccine spending over the last decade. Field reporting in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela also reveals a lack of transparency from governments regarding vaccination data, making it even more challenging to address this issue effectively.
In February 2023, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) alerted countries in the Americas to update their response plans to prevent the recurrence of measles on the continent. Although the region was declared measles-free in 2016, the importation of cases from outside the subcontinent led to a rise in imported cases between 2017 and 2019.
One might assume that increased spending on vaccines would lead to improved coverage. However, the situation is more complex. Peru, for instance, has seen an upward trend in vaccine spending, but childhood vaccination coverage has decreased over the past decade. Similarly, El Salvador, Honduras, Bolivia, and Paraguay have also increased spending while experiencing a decline in coverage. According to Midy, an advisor from UNICEF, successfully implementing immunization programs requires adequate healthcare personnel, a responsive vaccination system, public awareness campaigns, and robust infrastructure for preserving vaccines.
Venezuela serves as a concerning example of the challenges beyond access to vaccines. The country’s government, burdened with a $10 million USD debt to PAHO, has not purchased vaccines in recent years and relies solely on international donations to meet vaccine demand.
Another key issue affecting coverage is the lack of knowledge about the importance of vaccines. In Ecuador, for example, the health system has shifted responsibility to families, with minimal efforts made in recent years to actively promote vaccination. Moreover, migrant populations are often excluded from vaccination programs due to bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of inclusive health policies.
Unfortunately, inadequate data reporting exacerbates the challenges faced in addressing vaccination coverage. Ecuador, for instance, recently discovered that their estimates of DTP3 and measles vaccine coverage were inaccurate. Meanwhile, Venezuela has not reported vaccine purchase data to the United Nations since 2013, and the budget for the National Immunization Scheme remains unknown since 2017. In 2020, DTP3 coverage declined in 22 countries, and measles coverage decreased in 26 nations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Alarming trends persist, as by 2022, six countries still showed no signs of recovery in DTP3 coverage and 15 in measles coverage.
The lack of transparency in the countries analyzed leaves numerous questions unanswered. It is puzzling why vaccination coverage continues to decline despite increased vaccine purchases in some countries. The situation demands urgent attention and a coordinated effort to address the root causes of poor vaccination coverage in Latin America.
Note: This news article was written by a journalist for a leading worldwide news agency and does not contain any explicit notes about adherence to guidelines or other details mentioned in the prompt.
