Argentina Grapples with Declining Vaccination Rates Amid Pertussis Concerns

Buenos Aires – Argentina is confronting a worrying decline in children’s vaccination rates, prompting a strong response from health authorities who are stressing the critical need to improve immunization coverage across the nation. This urgent call to action comes as cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, are increasing both globally and within Argentina. Data released by the Ministry of Health of the Nation reveals a significant drop in vaccine coverage, raising serious concerns about potential outbreaks of preventable diseases. In 2022, coverage for the pentavalent vaccine in children under one year reached only 80%, falling significantly short of the 95% threshold recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure adequate population protection.

The decline in vaccination rates presents a considerable risk, especially to vulnerable populations such as infants and young children.Pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory illness, remains a major cause of death in children under five years old worldwide. The situation is further complicated by the fact that neither natural infection nor vaccination provides lifelong immunity, making high vaccination rates at all ages essential to control its spread.

The Importance of Vaccination: A Collective Duty

Dr. Vanesa Castellano, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital ‘Ricardo Gutiérrez’ and medical director of the Scientific Department of the Vaccinar Foundation, emphasizes the crucial role of vaccination in safeguarding public health. According to Dr. Castellano, the progress in immunization depends on a joint commitment between the health system, the community and health professionals. Vaccination is a essential tool to ensure protection against multiple diseases and prevent the resurgence of some that were eliminated or controlled.

This collaborative approach is essential to address the multifaceted challenges contributing to the decline in vaccination rates.These challenges may include vaccine hesitancy, logistical barriers to access, and a lack of awareness about the importance of timely immunization.

Pertussis: A Persistent Threat

Pertussis, characterized by severe coughing fits, poses a significant risk, especially to young children. The disease is highly transmissible, and even vaccinated individuals can contract and spread the infection. This underscores the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.

According to experts, Those who contract the bacteria of convulsive cough, along with the consequences for their health, contribute to the spread of the pathogen by spreading other people from their family, school or work surroundings, putting their community at risk. Even though vaccinated individuals are more protected, in certain specific cases the children who are infected can be too young to receive the vaccine, not have completed the vaccination scheme (including reinforcements) or, in the worst case, that their caregivers have decided not to vaccinate them. This disease can have very serious consequences on the little ones. Fortunately, for more than 10 years there is a protection measure for this group in the frist months of life: the mother’s vaccination with the triple acellular bacterial (against diphtheria, tetanus and coke) during pregnancy.

Global and Regional Trends

Recent outbreaks of pertussis in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Russia highlight the ongoing global threat posed by the disease. In Latin America, outbreaks have disproportionately affected infants under six months, who are at higher risk of severe complications.

Within Argentina, CABA reported 19 confirmed cases of Pertussis until epidemiological week 6 of 2025, compared to zero cases during the same period in 2024, according to the 443 Epidemiological Bulletin. Mexico has also reported 120 confirmed cases as of july 2025, with an incidence of 0.08 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants across 21 states.Moreover, Paraguay issued an epidemiological alert on February 11, 2025, due to an unusual increase in cases during the first weeks of the year. A concerning statistic reveals that over 70% of children affected in Paraguay had not completed their corresponding vaccination schemes.

Strategies for Protection: Combined Vaccines

Argentina’s national vaccination calendar includes the pentavalent vaccine and the inactivated vaccine against poliomyelitis administered separately. However, hexavalent vaccines, offering protection against six diseases in a single application, are available in the private market. These combined vaccines are gaining recognition for their potential to improve vaccination adherence and coverage rates.

It is indeed demonstrated that combined vaccines have multiple benefits, mainly the enhancement of adherence to immunization and – in outcome – of coverage, which is the primary objective of the entire vaccination strategy, explained Dr.Castellano.

The Benefits of Acellular Hexavalent Vaccines

Experts in pediatric infectology have analyzed the problem of pertussis and the different vaccination strategies, highlighting the benefits of the hexavalent acellular vaccine in a consensus published in October. These benefits include:

• greater adhesion to the vaccination calendar by reducing the amount of dose applied.
• Decrease in stress in infants and parents for the least amount of injections.
• Simpler logistics in health centers,optimizing the distribution and storage of vaccines.
• Reduction of operational and administrative costs for health systems.
• Decreased risk of multiple dose administration.

The implementation of combined vaccination schemes has proven effective in various countries, contributing to improved immunization and simplified public health programs.Studies have shown that the inclusion of the Hexavalente vaccine has allowed for increased coverage in regions facing logistical challenges in completing conventional schemes.

The Argentine Pediatrics Society (SAP) also acknowledges that combined vaccines represent an excellent option, facilitating the recovery of vaccination schemes, improving community acceptance, and reducing the number of injections required.

Conclusion: A Call for Equity and Access

Addressing the declining vaccination rates in Argentina requires a concerted effort from healthcare providers, public health officials, and the community. Ensuring equitable access to modern, safe, and effective vaccines is crucial to prevent childhood diseases and advance global immunization objectives. The implementation of vaccination schemes with hexavalent vaccines holds the potential to achieve broader and more sustained coverage, contributing to a healthier future for all children in Argentina.

Guaranteeing equity in access to modern, safe and effective vaccines is crucial to prevent childhood diseases and advance in global immunization objectives. The implementation of vaccination schemes with hexavalent vaccines can reach a broader and more sustained coverage, contributing to achieve a healthier childhood for all children, concluded the specialists.