The 24th Vaccination Week in the Americas (+PAHO) kicked off

Published at: 26/04/2026 01:38 PM

This Sunday, April 26, the 24th Vaccination Week in the Americas and the 15th World Immunization Week began in countries and territories associated with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

In this regard, the national director of immunizations of the Ministry of People's Power for Health, Eloisa Garrido, reported that the Week of the Americas should be seen as an opportunity offered to us to reduce the gaps we have identified, in this case in our country. “It's time to) reach a zero gap and bring vaccination up to date with our population,” he said.

Garrido urged the population to go to the free vaccination posts offered by the Venezuelan State on a permanent basis throughout the national territory.

The director assured that vaccines are truly considered the most effective health measure and are our prevention tool.

He added that timely vaccination minimizes the economic cost that would entail the complication of a disease and, subsequently, to hospital care. “If we prevent today through the Public Health System with vaccines, we prevent serious diseases and tomorrow we see that converted into health, then we avoid that economic cost that is seen in hospitals.

Garrido stressed that this is one of the most significant reasons why free vaccination should be guaranteed to the population.

Regarding the importance of immunization, he pointed out that each of the people who receive the vaccination ensures their immunity. “When you vaccinate a group, we generate a collective immunization, so a herd vaccination is given,” he said.

The schedule includes 10 mandatory vaccines to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, influenza type b, hepatitis, measles, mumps and rubella, as well as others that must be administered from birth to an older adult.

The Ministry of Popular Power for Health invites the community to participate in this campaign that begins this Sunday, April 26, until next May 3.

This year, the PAHO campaign aligns with the Disease Elimination Initiative, which aims to accelerate the elimination of more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030, of which 11 are vaccine-preventable diseases.

Mazo News Team