Brazilian Ministry of Health strategy to increase vaccination coverage at borders

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública 2024-01, Vol.48, p.1
• Main Authors: Nascimento, Luciana Maiara Diogo, Araújo, Ana Catarina de Melo, de Souza, Priscila Caldeira Alencar, Matozinhos, Fernanda Penido, da Silva, Thales Philipe Rodrigues, Fernandes, Eder Gatti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Disease control; Immigrants; Immunization; Public health; Refugees; Vaccines
• ISSN: 1020-4989; 1680-5348
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2024.31

Objective. Evaluate the implementation of the Ministry of Health’s “Action Plan: Border Vaccination Strategy – Agenda 2022” in the Brazil’s 33 twin cities and evaluate the increase in the country’s vaccination coverage (VC). Methodology. Pre-post community clinical trial. Implementation of the strategy was analyzed, and pre- and post-intervention VC were compared in two stages: P1 (pre-intervention) and P2 (post-intervention). Based on statistical analyses of P1 and P2 coverage, calculations were made of municipal averages, standard deviation, and difference in VC between the two periods. Results. Integration was observed between the primary health care (PHC), surveillance, immunization, and special indigenous health district (DSEI) teams, although there were difficulties, for example, in relation to migratory flows. While immigration flows present challenges in the areas of immunization, PHC, and DSEI, the difficulties are compounded by the polarization of these services, which hinders intersectoral integration. After carrying out the workshops, a total of 50 977 doses were administered in the general population in the 33 twin cities. There was an increase in vaccination coverage in children up to 1 year of age in the locations evaluated after the intervention, which may be relevant in terms of increasing VC in Brazil. Conclusion. There was an increase in vaccination coverage in children up to 1 year of age in the locations evaluated after the intervention, helping to increase VC in Brazil.