2023-05-02 18:27:36
Quito, May 2, 2023
The first vaccination actions in the country began approximately from the year 1942; 50 years ago the first vaccination campaign against polio was carried out and 49 years ago the first campaign against measles. Since then, Ecuador became the first Latin American nation to implement with scientific evidence the national immunization program that has kept the population free of serious diseases.
In the last 15 years, more than 15 million doses of measles, rubella, and poliomyelitis vaccines have been administered to the population under 15 years of age, thus avoiding complications, sequelae, and deaths in the child population. Vaccination coverage decreased and worsened due to the pandemic, which caused the accumulation of susceptible population (people who were not vaccinated or with incomplete doses), for this reason the country has an eminent risk of having cases of these three diseases .
At present, measles and rubella have been eliminated, while poliomyelitis is in the process of being eradicated in Ecuador; however, the reports of these diseases in several countries of the region increase the risk due to imported cases and outbreaks.
Faced with this, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) offers free administration of an additional dose to the child population from one to twelve years of age to create collective immunity and protect the child population. Thus, 1-year-old children will receive a dose against poliomyelitis; from 2 to 5 years a dose of vaccine against polio, measles and rubella; children 6 and 7 years old will receive one dose of measles and rubella and two doses of polio both orally and injectable, and children 8 to 12 years of age will receive one dose of measles and rubella vaccine.
The bell “Ecuador free of polio, measles and rubella”, starting today, has an adequate supply of additional doses that are highly safe. $8 million were invested for biologicals, syringes, communication actions, and mobilization of brigades.
It is planned in all MSP health centers permanently from May 2 to July 9, 2023, as well as in phases: the first in educational units and child development centers, then micro-concentration vaccination, in strategic sites and in health brigades. These vaccines are part of the 18 types that the Regular Vaccination Scheme in force in Ecuador has.
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