Recommendations for modernizing infant vaccination schedules with combination vaccines in Colombia and Peru/Recomendaciones para modernizar los calendarios de vacunacion infantil con vacunas combinadas en Colombia y Peru/Recomendacoes para modernizar os esquemas de vacinacao infantil com vacinas combinadas na Colombia e no Peru

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública 2023-01, Vol.47
• Main Authors: Garces, Carlos, Falleiros-Arlant, Luiza Helena, Torres-Martinez, Carlos, Chaparro, Eduardo, Somocurcio, Roberto, Camacho-Moreno, German, Castillo, Maria E, Coronell, Wilfrido, Marino, Ana-Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• ISSN: 1020-4989
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2023.24

The objective of this article was to consider the vaccination challenges in Colombia and Peru and the role of pediatric combination vaccines in overcoming these challenges. Barriers to including new vaccines with more antigens remain apparent in parts of these countries, where vaccine-preventable diseases in infants continue to be a major problem. The challenges include the heterogeneity of vaccine coverage within each country and in neighboring countries, which can contribute to poor rates of vaccination coverage; the adverse impact of the inward migration of unvaccinated individuals, which has favored the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases; vaccine shortages; and the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the associated shifts in health care resources. To improve the coverage of pediatric vaccines in Colombia and Peru, it will be necessary to ensure the widespread integration into vaccine schedules of combination vaccines containing diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B antigens with a three-dose primary series delivered at 2, 4 and 6 months of age followed by a booster at 18 months of age. Such vaccines play important roles in preventing diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; eradicating polio; and providing boosting against H. influenzae type b. Keywords Combined vaccines; immunization schedule; vaccines; vaccine-preventable diseases; Colombia; Peru. El objetivo de este articulo es considerar los desafios que se enfrentan en Colombia y Peru con respecto a la vacunacion y el papel de las vacunas combinadas pediatricas para superar estos desafios. Los obstaculos para incluir vacunas nuevas con mas antigenos siguen siendo evidentes en algunos lugares de estos paises, donde las enfermedades prevenibles por vacunacion en menores de 1 ano continuan siendo un grave problema. Entre los desafios se incluye la heterogeneidad de la cobertura de vacunacion en cada pais y en los paises vecinos, lo que puede contribuir con que se registren tasas bajas de cobertura de vacunacion; el impacto adverso de la migracion interna de personas no vacunadas, lo que ha favorecido la reaparicion de enfermedades prevenibles por vacunacion; la escasez de vacunas, y el impacto de la pandemia del coronavirus de tipo 2 causante del sindrome respiratorio agudo grave (SARS-CoV-2) y los consiguientes cambios en los recursos de atencion medica. Para mejorar la c