Ministry of Health takes stock after 7 months of applying the vaccine
Of the 4,792,411 dengue vaccines distributed by the federal government to the states and the Federal District since February, when immunization began, only 2,341,449 doses were registered as administered by the Unified Health System (SUS) as of the 15th – a percentage of 48.88%. The balance, therefore, is 2,448,647 doses that were not registered as administered.
The figures were presented by the director of the National Immunization Program (PNI) of the Ministry of Health, Eder Gatti, during the 26th National Immunization Day, in Recife.
The ministry's report also shows that, over the course of just over seven months of immunization against dengue fever in the country, 1,819,923 children and adolescents aged 10 to 14 years received the two doses necessary to complete the vaccination schedule against the disease, while 521,497 received only the first dose. "There is a deficit of people who did not receive the second dose. Some have not had the time yet. But we know that there are people who should have received it and have not returned," Eder highlighted.
The recommendation from the ministry and from Qdenga's manufacturer, the Japanese laboratory Takeda, is that the second dose of the vaccine be administered three months after the first dose.
Public health
The director of the National Institute of Health (PNI) assessed that the vaccine currently represents a crucial public health measure in the fight against dengue fever, but should not be seen as an isolated solution. Among the main challenges highlighted by Gatti for the introduction of the vaccine in Brazil are its low availability and high price. “The ministry bought all the doses that the laboratory put on the table. We bought everything,” he said. “With a small quantity, we had to prioritize,” he added.
For the ministry representative, the recommendation by international agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), for the incorporation of the vaccine into public services disregarded the fact that developing countries have limited access to resources. “It is a technology that, in addition to being expensive, is not available. This is our main criticism regarding the WHO recommendation,” he said. “We understand the technical recommendation. But it has to be based on reality.”
In his speech, Eder also mentioned political and popular pressure and a scenario of politicization of vaccines in the country. “Social pressure demanded the incorporation [of the dengue vaccine by the SUS] as soon as possible,” he explained. According to him, the ministry is working with the expectation of expanding vaccination against dengue in Brazil throughout 2025. “We have already acquired, for next year, 9 million doses. We also expect the incorporation of the vaccine from the Butantan Institute,” he highlighted.