Headline: Peru‘s Botched dengue Vaccination Drive: A Slow Start in the Face of a Deadly Epidemic
Subheadline: Despite an alarming dengue outbreak, Peru’s vaccination efforts fall short as only 11% of the targeted population receives the first dose.
Article Body:
Peru is grappling with one of its worst dengue epidemics in three decades, with over 278,000 infections and 256 deaths reported since January, according to the Ministry of Health (MinSa). In response, the government launched a vaccination drive in November, focused on children and adolescents in the hardest-hit regions of Piura, Loreto, Tumbes, and Ucayali. However, as of December 17, only 11% of the target population had received the first dose of the required two-dose scheme.
The slow progress of the vaccination campaign is disconcerting, considering the sheer magnitude of the dengue outbreak. The Peruvian government declared an emergency in February, with 18,000 cases reported at the time. By July, the number of cases had surged to over 258,000, and 241 people had lost their lives. The situation has escalated further, with over 92,000 new cases reported between January and mid-November.
The vaccination drive, authorized by the Resolución Ministerial n.° 555-2024/MINSA in August, aimed to vaccinate approximately 445,000 children and adolescents. The jab, a quadrivalent liofilized vaccine, is proven to be effective in individuals aged four and above. However, despite the urgency, the vaccination drive has faltered, with only around 49,000 Children and adolescents receiving the first dose by mid-December.
The vacunación contra el dengue (dengue vaccination) campaign was initially marred by delays and inefficiencies. The campaign kicked off on November 23, but only after an alert was issued by the DGE three days later due to the escalating number of cases. TheMinisterio de Salud (MinSa) had promised to vaccinate around 222,750 children and adolescents across 54 establishments in the affected regions, with the second dose scheduled for February 2025.
Across the targeted regions, the vaccination drive faced varying degrees of progress:
- Piura, which aimed to vaccinate over 106,000 children aged 10 to 16, had a slow start, with only a handful of districts reporting significant progress.
- Loreto, where over 53,000 children and adolescents were targeted, also faced challenges, with some areas reporting low vaccination rates.
- Ucayali, which planned to vaccinate around 47,281 children and adolescents, struggled to meet its targets, despite an enthusiastic launch by Minister César Vásquez.
- Tumbes, with an initial target of vaccinating over 16,000 children and adolescents, was similarly affected by the slow progress of the campaign.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the need for a comprehensive, integrated strategy to combat dengue, which should include vector control measures and community participation, alongside vaccination. However, Peru’s efforts seem to have faltered, leaving the country vulnerable to the relentless advance of the dengue outbreak.
As the country braces for a potential surge in dengue cases in the first half of 2025, with estimates suggesting around 290,936 new cases, the urgency to accelerate the vaccination drive cannot be overstated. With dengue posing a severe public health threat, Peru must act swiftly and decisively to protect its citizens from this deadly mosquito-borne disease.
