“Child Vaccination Rates Drop Significantly in Peru: Analysis of Polio, Measles, Tuberculosis, Rotavirus, and Hepatitis B in 25 Regions of the Country”

After the start of the Covid-19 health emergency, child vaccination rates dropped significantly. In order to know the panorama at the national level, Vigilante.pe analyzed the levels of vaccination against deadly diseases such as polio, measles, tuberculosis, rotavirus and hepatitis B in the 25 regions of the country. The results are worrying.

Poliomyelitis.

During the last 5 years, vaccination against polio has been reduced by 13.8%. In 2018, 95.6% of children had the first three doses of the drug. The most critical point in the immunization process against acute flaccid paralysis was in 2020, when only 71.4% of infants were vaccinated. The regions with the lowest level of immunization are: Loreto (20.1%), Ucayali (22%), Lambayeque (24.2%), Amazonas (24.7%) and Huancavelica (25%).

Measles

The vaccination process against measles decreased by 21.4% during the last 5 years, since it went from 75.5% in 2018 to 53.8% in 2022. In 2020, only 52.2% of minors were vaccinated against measles. The departments with the lowest vaccination rate are: Madre de Dios (12.7%), Ucayali (14.3%), Arequipa (15.3%), Lambayeque (16.7%), Loreto (16.7%) and Moquegua (17.5%).

Tuberculosis

Between 2018 and 2022, the vaccination process against tuberculosis decreased by 7.4%. In 2020, 86.4% of newborns were immunized against tuberculosis. Since then, the vaccination process has failed to exceed 90% of annual applications of the vaccine against the bacteria. The regions with the most critical level of vaccination are: Huancavelica (22.7%), Loreto (23.2%), Callao (25.3%), Amazonas (26.3%) and Huánuco (26.7%).

Rotavirus

In 2022, 83.7% of infants received the rotavirus vaccine. 98.9% of infants were vaccinated against the virus in 2018, however, this number dropped significantly after the start of the pandemic. In 2020, only 75.9% received the respective doses of the drug. The departments with the lowest immunization rate are: Loreto (20.7%), Ucayali (23.8%), Huancavelica (24%), Lambayeque (24.7%) and Puno (25.7%).

pentavalent vaccine

In 2022, 82.3% of children received the pentavalent vaccine. During the last year, the Ministry of Health immunized 14.3% fewer children compared to 2018. In 2020, only 72.1% of minors had access to this vaccine, which prevents the infant from becoming infected with diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type B and hepatitis B. Loreto (19.1%), Ucayali (20.7%), Lambayeque (23.9%), Amazonas (23.9%), Puno (24.2%) and Huancavelica (24.7%) They are the regions with the lowest level of vaccination at the national level.