The distrust of certain sectors of the Brazilian population towards vaccination, fueled by disinformation campaigns and anti-vaccine movements, continues to represent a significant challenge for the country. Health Minister Nísia Trindade highlighted that the phenomenon of “vaccine hesitancy” among some Brazilians began to gain strength around 2016.
The lack of government support prior to immunization, combined with budgetary restrictions in the health area, contributed to a decrease in vaccine coverage in the country in recent years, the minister said.
In 2019, Brazil lost its measles elimination certification, mainly due to the decrease in demand for the vaccine against this disease, Trindade reported. “This situation worsened during the previous administration, marked by a clear tendency towards scientific denialism. It is crucial to highlight that this trend persists,” explained the minister during a seminar on vaccination held at the National Academy of Medicine in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of December.
Juárez Cunha, director of the Brazilian Immunization Society (SBIm), observes that since the mid-2000s the challenge of meeting vaccination objectives has been raised. “Trust in vaccines continues to be an affected aspect. It is not only about trusting the efficacy and safety of the product. This factor generates numerous doubts among the population, which is why it is crucial to provide exhaustive information,” says Cunha.
According to Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), this phenomenon is not limited to Brazil and has intensified during the covid-19 pandemic. Barbosa insists on the importance of governments monitoring social media and quickly addressing any rumors related to vaccination. “We have been urging countries to monitor social media daily and respond promptly to any rumors or misinformation, as these can spread quickly and undermine confidence in vaccines,” Barbosa warned during the Academy of Medicine event.
Barbosa points out as an aggravating factor that people show greater skepticism towards official information, which further complicates the task of denying rumors about vaccines.
Government
The fight against misinformation has been one of the main objectives of the Brazilian Government, as evidenced by the creation in October of the “Health with Science” platform, aimed at educating Brazilians. Minister Nísia Trindade highlighted that the position of the current government differs from the previous administration. In February of this year, the federal government launched the National Vaccination Movement.
“At the launch event in Brasilia, the president [Lula] stressed the importance of vaccination by personally receiving the vaccine, marking a significant contrast with the actions of the previous administration,” Nísia recalled during the Academy of Medicine event. “When we took office, we faced a shortage of the vaccines needed to immunization, including those in the childhood vaccination schedule,” he said.
The minister added that initiatives such as the replenishment of vaccine supplies and the launch of information campaigns have contributed decisively to improving vaccination coverage in the country.
2024-01-02 18:41:00
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