Vaccines shipments from Iran arrive in Venezuela. Photo: Radio Miraflores.
Venezuela’s deputy minister for Collective Health, Jesús Miguel Osteicochea, reported that Venezuela received more than 2.4 million vaccines from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The shipment includes 1,905,000 doses of poliomyelitis vaccine and 502,012 doses of hepatitis B vaccine.
Osteicochea stated that these doses are crucial to continue the eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases in Venezuela. He highlighted the “tireless work” that Venezuelan healthcare authorities carry out every day to avoid the reappearance of these diseases.
He also pointed out that Venezuela has already received doses of the BCG vaccine (against tuberculosis) and is expecting the arrival of the pentavalent vaccine (which protects against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B) and the MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccine.
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Osteicochea reported that in Venezuela, children under five years of age receive the three doses corresponding to their vaccination schedule. In 2024, more than 432,000 doses of BCG were administered, and over 10 million Venezuelans have been vaccinated against yellow fever. Thanks to the vaccination scheme in effect, the spread of diseases such as measles and rubella has been avoided in the country.
The deputy minister detailed that the methodology for administering vaccines to the population includes house-to-house campaigns and a network of more than 6,000 vaccination points throughout the hospital and outpatient network, as well as the school health program. These efforts are part of the government’s Seven Transformations (7T) Plan, of which the fourth axis focuses on social transformation.
The arrival of these vaccines from Iran highlights the importance of international alliances for Venezuela, especially in the context of the US blockade. Through these international alliances, Venezuela gains access to medicine, vaccines, and equipment to safeguard the health of its population.
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SF
