Headline: Arequipa Completes Regional Vaccination Scheme, Lags on Measles Immunization
Subhead: After three years of success in infant vaccinations, Arequipa faces challenges in measles immunization, mainly in urban areas.
In a significant milestone, Arequipa’s Health Directorate has successfully accomplished the regular vaccination scheme for newborns, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic period. The coordinator, Giovanna Valdivia, revealed that in 2023, infants progressively caught up on their vaccinations, achieving high coverage rates for vital shots such as tuberculosis (86.5%), hepatitis (83.1%), rotavirus (79.9%), pentavalent (77.2%), polio (77.2%), and influenza (90.2%).
However, the region still faces obstacles in completing the full range of vaccinations, with parents often forgetting to bring their children for follow-up doses. Notably, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination surpassed its target, immunizing 39,000 individuals. Moreover, Arequipa reported high coverage for the yellow fever (75%) and chickenpox (75%) vaccines.
Despite these positive figures, Arequipa lags behind in measles vaccination, particularly in urban areas. The first measles dose reached 88% coverage, while the second dose attained 65.5%. According to Valdivia, the refusal of a measles booster shot during a recent campaign, particularly in the Arequipa province, led to suboptimal coverage. The region achieved 73% overall measles vaccination coverage, with Caylloma having a higher rate (74%) than Arequipa province (67%).
To improve these figures, health authorities aim to trace and update records of individuals vaccinated in private clinics and encourage parents to complete their children’s vaccination schedules. Vaccination campaigns will continue to strive for optimal coverage and protect Arequipa’s citizens from preventable diseases.
