Mobile Vaccination Center in Montevideo Reaches Every Corner with PAHO/WHO Support

The donation was supplemented by another donation from PAHO / WHO, together with the Canadian government, of refrigeration equipment, worth 600,000, which allows a cold chain to preserve vaccines ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

“In the mobile phone we have all the necessary items to vaccinate people,” explained the vaccinator Nadia Sosa, while her colleague Sabrina Ezeiza points out that the size of the vehicle allows with us to reach places that are difficult to reach.

“A lot of times there are no vaccinations in some neighborhoods, so when we get closer, we can update the vaccination cards,” said Sosa. Both vaccines report the delay in ‘vaccination: “we find ourselves with cards that are very late, for four-year-old children who have just had their two-month vaccination,” Ezeiza reveals.

With his daughter in his arms, the father tells his daughter’s story: “She just turned two years old and needed a vaccination that was 15 months late. We take advantage of this beautiful opportunity that they come to the neighborhoods to catch up on the vaccines.” She says that they had tried to leave twice before, but they could not do so because the girl’s brother was sick, and the next time the girl had a fever. “Many times due to work schedules it is complicated,” he said, and he evaluates: “it is essential that they come here to the neighborhoods, the truth is that it is a good resource for many families. “

A mother and her daughter take advantage of the arrival of the mobile phone at the polyclinic in the area where they attend. “I often come to the polyclinic because of the cases of other doctors and the vaccinations ended, I had to give and I had no other choice, we had to come,” she explains, encouraging her little girl talking about how important it was. getting vaccinated so you don’t get sick and get well.

The vaccinations also highlight the importance of moving the cell phone into the neighborhoods. It is important because there is a population that sometimes, due to economic problems, cannot go to the vaccination center,” explained Ezeiza, who also points to the problems that exist due to work schedules. “They know we go there once a month,” he said. Regarding distribution, Sosa explains that the public finds out through the websites of the CHLAEP and the Ministry of Public Health, where details of the weekly visits are published, and announces that they also spread through WhatsApp. “The neighbors help us a lot, they spread the word, they make posters, even when we get to the places they even help us organize a line, the co- Our work is impressive,” said Sosa.

The action of the vaccine goes beyond the delivery of the dose. “We also prevent diseases, we explain everything to them,” says Sosa, who says they take advantage of the opportunity to express the importance of there is a vaccine. Ezeiza emphasizes that “thanks to vaccines we prevent many diseases” and notes that “it is important that everyone is vaccinated because if one is vaccinated and the other is not , the diseases will spread. “I believe it’s an act of love for everyone: you get vaccinated and you protect others,” he concluded.

The mobile has all vaccines, including those against influenza (flu) and COVID-19 in pediatric and adult formulations.

“I live nearby and I found out that they were vaccinating here, and since my tetanus vaccine had expired, I took advantage, because if -you don’t get the vaccine, dear, you can’t be there,” warns a woman, as she leaves her cell phone with her updated schedule.