More than 17,000 children immunized on the first day of the Vaccination Campaign against polio, measles and rubella – Ministry of Public Health

2023-05-03 00:53:58

Quito, May 2, 2023

With the presence of national and local authorities, the 2023 Vaccination Campaign against polio, measles and rubella began, promoted by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP). The event was held at the Santiago de Guayaquil Educational Unit, located in the center of Quito. During the first day of the crusade, 17,595 children were immunized in the capital alone.

Ana Paulina Coronel, Zonal 9 – Health coordinator, explained that the campaign will have the support of 1,069 brigade members and data entry workers. “We have allies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Ministries of Education and Social Inclusion, the Ministry of Health of Quito, the Local Health Committees and the Academy.

The campaign is scheduled from today, May 2, to July 9, 2023. It is aimed at children between 1 and 12 years of age. The goal in Quito is to vaccinate more than 490,000 infants, working in 1,550 educational units and in the 135 MSP establishments, located in the Metropolitan District of Quito.

“Being at this event is exciting for those of us who are members of the Pan American Health Organization, since it shows the country’s commitment to eradicate the three diseases. For the effect and positive impact of vaccines to take effect, three steps are required: have the vaccines, have national immunization programs and, that the population is convinced of the opportunity and benefit that being vaccinated represents for their children“, said Álvaro Whittembury, PAHO/WHO delegate.

Carmen Guerrero, Vice Minister of Comprehensive Care of the MSP, concluded by mentioning that “this is a follow-up campaign that will allow us to give our children all the tools so that they cannot contract these diseases. We will work in educational and child development centers with the goal of immunizing 70% of children; then we will continue in the community brigades, visiting the neighborhoods under the house-to-house modality, where we aspire to vaccinate the remaining 30% of infants.

This State portfolio has as a priority objective that Ecuador be free of poliomyelitis, measles and rubella.

#Vaccination2023

#CrusadeForHealth