Status of Vaccine Coverage In Venezuelan Children, A Country With A Complex Humanitarian Crisis

Abstract

In Venezuela, PAHO has reported an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases since 2016. The goal of this work was to assess vaccination coverage in children hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics at the Hospital Universitario de Caracas (HUC). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study included 0 to 12 years old children hospitalized in HUC admitted between January 2015 and December 2019, and verified immunization scheme. The patient data were compared with the schedule of the Ministry of Health of Venezuela and analyzed by comparing immunization coverage by year of patient hospitalization and patient age. Results: A total of 2903 patients were surveyed, corresponding to 53.2% male, 37.4% infants. A coverage level above 95% was found only for BCG. Comparing vaccination coverage with the vaccination schedule vs year of patient hospitalization, it was observed a mean decrease in vaccine coverage of 21.5% in 2019 relative to 2015 (p = 0.0000). Vaccination rates in children under one year old were lower than in children older than 6 years for all vaccines (p = 0.0000) Conclusions: There is a decline in vaccination coverage in 2019 in relation to previous years, being the most affected children less than one year old