Percentage of childhood vaccination coverage increases in RN, but there are still challenges in achieving goals

In recent years, adherence to the basic childhood vaccination schedule has been growing in Rio Grande do Norte. From 2022 to 2023, for example, there was greater coverage recorded for 14 of the 16 vaccines that make up the children’s calendar of the National Immunization Program (PNI).

Data for last year was consolidated at the end of April and is available on the Federal Government’s DataSUS platform. They demonstrate an improvement in the immunization context in the state. On the other hand, they point out that there is still a way to go to reach the vaccination target of 95%, recommended by the Ministry of Health.

For the infectious disease doctor at the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), Débora Lira, the general increase in vaccination coverage, which also happened nationally, represents an optimistic scenario. According to the professional, the improvement can be explained by the efforts of health agents and civil society, as well as the strengthening of public policies, encouraging vaccination campaigns, the dissemination of reliable information and the accessibility of vaccines themselves.

“What may explain this increase are the campaigns to encourage multi-vaccination, launched by governments at three levels, such as D-Days. In addition, the fight against misinformation, since, unfortunately, in recent years, there has been a spread of false information regarding some vaccines, especially against Covid, and this ends up influencing vaccination adherence to vaccines on the basic calendar”, analyzes Débora.

The infectious disease specialist also highlights the importance of easier access to vaccines based on strategies that bring vaccination centers closer to the population. An example of this are the extra points set up by city halls in shopping malls and in areas with large circulation of people. Added to this is the greater supply of immunization agents available in the public health network.

One of the highlights in the context of the percentage increase in vaccination coverage was immunization against yellow fever. For this vaccine, there was a percentage increase of more than 100% in the RN, jumping from 22.48% in 2022 to 54.33% in 2023. Established in the vaccination calendar in 2020, the vaccine has been recommended nationally since then. The increase in immunization against polio, chickenpox and MMR also stands out during the period.

Even with optimistic data, there are still points of attention for reaching the vaccination target and for vaccines that have shown a decrease in adherence. Of the 14 types of immunization agents that registered an increase, none reached the 95% recommended by the Ministry of Health last year.

“We cannot neglect stimulating, spreading campaigns and true information, based on science, that the vaccine is indeed safe, should be applied to the populations for which it is recommended and is a very important public health tool”, reinforces.

Dengue vaccination

In 2024, the dengue vaccine became available throughout the country. By the end of April, 27,662 doses had been applied out of the 45,000 doses received in municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte, according to the RN Public Health Secretariat (Sesap). In percentage data, this represents a use of around 61% of available doses.

Given the still timid demand, municipalities have been adopting different strategies to attract the public. Natal, for example, expanded the availability of the vaccine to all basic health units in the city and temporarily expanded the vaccination age range to avoid wasting doses, following recommendations from the Ministry of Health.

With the majority of the population still exposed to dengue, infectious disease specialist Débora Lira reinforces the need to take precautions to avoid the accumulation of stagnant water, the use of repellents and protection against bites from the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector of arboviruses.

“The vaccine has now started to be administered to a restricted population and we are still in the first dose, the quantity was initially small, but it will gradually increase throughout this year and the next. Therefore, it is important to reinforce vaccination so that in the future we have the effectiveness of the vaccine as a protective weapon against dengue”, reinforces the infectious disease specialist.

About ISD

The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and encompasses the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center, both in Macaíba. ISD’s mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.