The Bolivarian Government guarantees the immunization of 639,915 children aged between zero and six years, despite the coercive and unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States Government (US) and its allies, which prevent the Venezuelan State from acquisition of necessary medical supplies. This was stated by the Minister of Popular Power for Health, Carlos Alvarado, in an interview last Friday broadcasted by Venezolana de Televisión.
“The blockade and the unilateral coercive measures taken by the US and its lackeys in the world have affected vaccination, so we have taken alternatives paths to ensure the supply of doses for the population,” he said.
Alvarado said that through the agreement with the Republic of Cuba, the government has acquired Pentavalent, packing it in Venezuela.
The Minister of Health said that despite the blockade of the US government against the Venezuelan people, the State guarantees vaccines for children, estimating to cover immunization 100% by June 30,” he said.
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“Similarly, through the Revolving Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) we are bringing the majority of vaccines to Venezuela and through UNIFEC we have brought the Polio vaccine that has been donated by this organization,” he said.
He explained that 2 million 39 thousand 927 doses will be applied in the extended days of vaccination of the Americas where they will protect infants from 11 diseases such as: tetanus, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, haemoclean influenza, polio, measles, rubella , mumps, yellow fever.
Alvarado indicated that 7,124 vaccination points are distributed in hospitals, Social Security facilities, Ipasme, Military Health, some mayoral offices, in addition to the 560 Integral Diagnostic Centers (CDI) of Barrio Adentro nationwide, where extended hours are held until 8:00 at night and even on weekends, Saturdays and Sundays.
Indigenous communities
The head of the Health Office said that 231 indigenous communities have been addressed to date with this plan, the goal is to address all of these communities that are in their original areas.
In this regard, he specified that in the state of Amazonas, an approach was recently carried out in indigenous communities for three weeks, which had the aerial support of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, which made it possible to guarantee the transfer of vaccines, preserving the cold chain of the biological ones.
“In this opportunity we carry medicines and supplies that are required for these indigenous communities. We have also addressed the Delta Amacuro, Alta Guajira states and border sites where our indigenous communities are located, because the further away they are, the fewer contacts with viruses and bacteria, and they should be immunized,” he said.
Figures
The Vaccination Day of the Americas has served to date 1,556 educational centers in the national territory and 34,806 visited houses, which has immunized 381 thousand 48 children from zero to six years. The vaccines applied are Hepatisis B, BCG, Pentavalent, Antipolial, Measles, Rubella and Parotiditis (SRP) that make up the national coverage immunization scheme guaranteed by the Ministry of Popular Power for Health for free.
Translated by JRE/EF
