Venezuela faces a childhood vaccination crisis, with an alarming number of children under one year of age without receiving the first dose of vaccine, according to the World Health Organization.
Caracas. When talking about children with zero doses, it refers to children under five years of age who do not even have the first dose of a vaccine. In this statistic, Venezuela is among the first 10 countries with the most children with “zero doses”, a group that includes Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef.
By Venezuelan standard, the first vaccine dose that a newborn must receive (administered in the first 24 hours) is hepatitis B. By 2023, Venezuela barely reached 28% of the coverage of this first dose and it was the lowest in the entire country. region, according to figures from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
General vaccination coverage in Venezuela is between 48% and 49% (2023), despite the fact that the Immunization Law in Venezuela establishes that “Every child must be immunized according to the provisions of the Ministry of Health”.
From the National Academy of Medicine they propose increase public spending on health up to the reference level of 6%, according to the Venezuelan GDP, and increase efficiency in the health system, “by determining a set of actions that specifically impact its financing and organization.”
Low investment in health
Low vaccine coverage is related to various factors, one of them is low investment in health. In this sense, Venezuela has the lowest proportion of the entire American continent below Haiti. The reduction in the percentage of health spending with respect to Venezuela’s GDP went from 5% in 2007 to 3% in 2015, and to 0.8% in 2016, according to PAHO data.
“Haiti being the poorest country in the region. But in many areas it is ahead of us. In Haiti they give the HPV vaccine to both girls and boys“We don’t give it to anyone here,” explained Huniades Urbina-Medina, pediatrician-intensivist, president of the National Academy of Medicine and professor at the Dr. José María Vargas School of Medicine, from his presentation at the VII Conference. of Research of the Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB) and the Santa Inés Health Center, on October 30.
The HPV vaccine has been part of the vaccination schedule for adolescents in Venezuela since 2015. However, it is only available within the private health system, at high costs.
By 2019, the population under one year of age was more than 400,000 boys and girls. Which means, according to vaccination coverage data, that at least 200,000 newborns were left without vaccines.
Live off donations
In Venezuela we live off vaccine donations. Unicef is in charge of obtaining donations of vaccines for the country. But Venezuela does not qualify as a poor country before international organizations. “What we are is impoverished,” added Urbina.
Coverage in the Americas region also does not reach 95%, which is the percentage recommended by the WHO. Most vaccines have between 75% and 87% coverage. Some of the influencing factors are socioeconomic inequalities, geographic access, institutional factors, beliefs and misinformation, and social conditions.
Which, in turn, results in the reappearance of diseases, economic and social impact, lack of protection for vulnerable groups and distrust in vaccination, explains the WHO.
The pending tasks
Until the year 200, Venezuela was a country that took into account the introduction of new vaccines in its vaccination scheme. “We were on par with developed countries. A developed country is not one that has money, a developed country is one that thinks about its citizens,” Urbina said.
At least until 2022, Venezuela maintained a debt of 17 million with the PAHO Revolving Fund, a mechanism that helps guarantee access to vaccines for countries in the region.
In 2022, the Venezuelan State signed an agreement with the Alliance for Vaccination (GAVI) and PAHO, for the acquisition of vaccines that would arrive in the country in 2023. The plan consisted of the reintroduction of the Rotavirus and Pneumococcus vaccine, which have five years without arriving in the country and, later, the introduction of the HPV vaccine. But so far this has not happened.
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Venezuela Faces a Childhood Vaccination Crisis!
Ah, Venezuela! Land of beauty, culture, and apparently, an alarming number of children under one year of age who’ve managed to dodge their first vaccine dose. Yes, according to the World Health Organization, the situation is so grim that they could practically start a new ‘zero club’ and open the membership to Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia! Quite the dubious company to be in…
By Venezuelan standards, you’d think a newborn was just asking for a simple hepatitis B jab within the first 24 hours. But alas, by 2023, only a jaw-dropping 28% coverage has been achieved for this initial dose. It’s the lowest in the region. Now, isn’t that a splendid achievement?
The National Academy of Medicine summed it up perfectly: “Let’s increase public spending on health!” Because, as we all know, throwing money at a problem has always worked, right? Well, it hasn’t worked here so far!
Low Investment in Health
Now, here’s a kicker: Venezuela is at the bottom of the health investment ladder on the entire American continent—yes, below Haiti! They’ve managed to reduce health spending from 5% of GDP in 2007 to a measly 0.8% in 2016. You could argue that that’s quite a significant drop! And meanwhile, the Haitian population is gallivanting with HPV vaccines, while Venezuelans struggle to even get a single jab.
Say what you will about Haiti, but when you find yourself at the tail end of a competition with them, it’s time to reconsider your strategy. A pediatrician over there noted a stark reality: while the HPV vaccine is part of their adolescent program, in Venezuela, you’d be lucky to find it without a private health insurance plan and a significant wad of cash. How’s that for accessibility?
Back in 2019, there were over 400,000 kiddos under one year old, and by the looks of things, about 200,000 of them were left without vaccines. What a fancy game of roulette we’re playing with children’s health!
Living off Donations
It’s no surprise that in Venezuela, we’ve turned to living off vaccine donations. Yes, UNICEF has stepped up to the plate, but here’s a plot twist: Venezuela can’t even qualify as a poor nation for the international community! Talk about a backhanded compliment. It’s like saying, “Congratulations, you’re halfway to mediocrity!”
If you look across the Americas, coverage hasn’t hit the gold standard of 95% recommended by WHO. Instead, they’re stuck between 75% and 87%, thanks to the plethora of socioeconomic issues, misinformation, and a bit of… should I say, “institutional chaos.”
This unfortunate combination results in a resurgence of diseases, economic and social fallout, and growing distrust in vaccines. Ah, the cycle continues!
The Pending Tasks
Until the year 2000, Venezuela boasted advancements in vaccine introductions that would make many developed countries envious. But now? Well, a developed country should think about its citizens, not just about how to look good on a pie chart.
Fast forward to 2022—Venezuela was still hanging on to a 17 million debt with the PAHO Revolving Fund. And surprise, surprise, they signed an agreement for vaccine acquisitions with GAVI and PAHO. It was supposed to be the return of the Rotavirus and Pneumococcus vaccines by 2023. So far, we’re still waiting—anyone got their popcorn ready?
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And there we have it! An engaging, cheeky commentary on a serious issue explored in the article, keeping it sharp and optimistic while addressing the gravity of the situation.
ethical challenges created by the current health care delivery systems include:
His leaves us in a perplexing situation—an impoverished nation unable to meet basic healthcare standards yet not recognized as such by global organizations. As highlighted by health experts, this dissonance complicates access to essential medical aid and resources.
In the Americas, vaccination coverage averages fall woefully short of the World Health Organization’s recommended 95%. Instead, most vaccinations hover between 75% and 87% coverage. The roots of this troubling situation lie deep within the fabric of Venezuela’s societal issues: socioeconomic disparities, geographical barriers, institutional inefficiencies, misinformation, and adverse social conditions all converge to undermine public health efforts.
The consequences of these failures are dire. The resurgence of preventable diseases has far-reaching implications—not just for individual health, but for economic stability and social trust in vaccinations. The WHO underscores these consequences, emphasizing the need for a coordinated effort to counter misinformation, improve access, and rebuild confidence in immunization.
### The Pending Tasks
Historically, Venezuela prided itself on an evolving vaccination program. Up until the turn of the century, it had successfully integrated new vaccines into its roster, tackling public health challenges on par with developed nations. But that’s a memory now. The reality reflects a nation that has slipped backwards in its healthcare ambitions.
As of 2022, Venezuela still owed $17 million to the PAHO Revolving Fund, a key vehicle for facilitating vaccine access across the region. After signing agreements with the GAVI Alliance and PAHO in 2022 for the procurement of vital vaccines—including reintroducing previously absent vaccines like Rotavirus and Pneumococcus—the country hoped to make progress in 2023. However, these plans have yet to materialize.
### Conclusion
Venezuela’s current vaccination crisis is multifaceted and rooted in decades of systemic neglect and declining investment in public health. The alarming rates of children without vaccination present an urgent call to action. Addressing these issues requires increased public health funding, effective health system management, and international cooperation, with a focus on ensuring that every child receives the immunizations they need to thrive. Until these challenges are confronted, Venezuela will continue to grapple with a public health emergency, as the most vulnerable—its children—remain the most at risk.