The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) promoted the Vaccination Week in the Americas, a regional campaign that seeks to promote Equitable access to immunization in all countries of the continentwith special attention in the most vulnerable populations.
This initiative is aligned this year with the initiative for the elimination of diseases, a strategy approved in 2019 that aims to eradicate more than 30 communicable diseases for 2030. Both actions are part of a regional policy that recognizes vaccination as a key tool to reduce inequalities, prevent diseases and improve the quality of life.
Vaccinating not only prevents diseases, but also allows to maintain an active, healthy and independent life, Therefore, specialists insist on not losing sight of this possibility.
“Vaccination is a specific tool to live better,” summarizes Miriam Rozenekinfectologist and geriatrician of the Italian hospital. For its part, the infectologist Hebe vasequez He adds: “A study led by WHO in 2024 revealed that in the last 50 years the vaccines saved 154 million lives in the world, which is equivalent to six lives per minute every year. Therefore, we must not lose sight of the fact that they are safe and effective and constitute a right, an obligation and a solidarity act.”
“We have been trying to reverse the idea that vaccination is only for children,” Rozenek said: “Vaccination is prevention in children, adults and older adults. At each stage there are specific vaccines that help avoid serious complications, hospitalizations and even death.”
From PAHO they emphasize that the fall in vaccination levels in America is worrying: the continent is going through the greatest risk of preventable disease regrowths of the last 30 years. In this context, Argentina has a wide and free calendar, but still faces challenges to achieve better coverage rates.
“The vaccination calendar provides the greatest possible protection. Hence the incomplete schemes have a higher risk of disease,” he says Alejandro EllisChild infectologist and member of the National Committee of Infectology of the Argentine Pediatrics Society.
Vaccinating, on the other hand, helps reduce the use of the health system, since it avoids hospitalizations and allows preserving the quality of life of all people. “Vaccination directly impacts functional independence, the ability to continue living actively. It is not just to avoid a disease, it is being able to continue having a full life,” summarizes Vázquez, who is coordinator of the Funcei Vaccine Working Group.
Both Rozenek and Vázquez agree that one of the main challenges is fight myths About vaccination that still circulate among the entire population. Many people believe that they no longer need to be vaccinated, that they are already protected or that vaccines can have serious adverse effects.
In addition, specialists recognize that sometimes it is not a matter of fear, but of relevance. “Many times vaccination is not a priority for adults, who consult for more urgent problems, while leaving prevention. That is why it is important that health professionals take the initiative and actively speak of vaccination in each consultation,” adds Rozenek.
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