BCG & Oral Polio Vaccines Arrive in Venezuela – MPPS
Venezuela Receives Vaccine Shipment from Nicaragua to Bolster Immunization Program
MAIQUETÍA, Venezuela – A shipment of 60,000 vaccine doses arrived at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, this morning, aimed at strengthening Venezuela’s national immunization program. The vaccines, a mix of BCG and oral polio vaccines, were sent from Nicaragua to protect children under the age of five.
The initiative is part of a health plan promoted by President Nicolás Maduro, facilitated through cooperation with Alba countries.
The oral polio vaccine is designed to prevent poliomyelitis, a viral infection that can lead to permanent paralysis. The BCG vaccine (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) is administered to infants and young children to provide protection against severe forms of active tuberculosis, including meningeal tuberculosis, and to bolster resistance to the disease.
The shipment includes 30,000 doses of BCG and 30,000 doses of the oral polio vaccine. these will be distributed to health centers within the 593 Community Integral Health Areas (ASIC) across Venezuela’s 24 states. Distribution will occur through ambulatory and hospital networks, and also via the “Lightning Plan,” “Health Goes to School,” and door-to-door campaigns.
Jesús Osteicochea, Vice Minister of Collective Health, emphasized the importance of continuous care for newborns and children under five. He stated that President Maduro, through the Ministry of Popular Power for Health (MPPS), has promoted initiatives to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases.
These efforts are being carried out by the National Government, under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro, in coordination with the Minister of Popular power for Health, Magaly Gutiérrez Viña. Despite sanctions, the government continues to implement strategies within the framework of the Government Plan of the 7 transformations and the Expanded Immunization Program to ensure the well-being of Venezuelans.