The decline in vaccination rates caused great concern in Argentina’s health system and brought back to the agenda the re-emergence of diseases that had been virtually eradicated. The problem was fixed in the program “Welcome to the train”led by Juan Di Natalewhere the health, social and legal implications of a trend that worries professionals and authorities were analyzed.
One of the most convincing cases is that of Mendozawhich advanced in August with an unprecedented measure in the country: filed the first 15 lawsuits against parents who did not follow the required vaccination schedule for their children. The decision marks a turning point in the discussion about the boundaries between individual choice and collective responsibility in public health issues.
From the state government they explained that the initiative emerged from the Increase in preventable diseasessuch as measles, rubella, mumps and whooping cough, diseases that have been brought under control for decades thanks to vaccination campaigns. The decline in coverage, which worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic, created a high-risk scenario, particularly for young children, older adults and immunocompromised people.
In this context Mendoza stricter controls for families and noted the possibility Violators will be prosecutedwith sanctions including: Fines ranging from 84,000 to 336,000 pesos, up to five days in prison or the realization of Community workdepending on the severity of the error and the recurrence of non-compliance.
The debate about the program focused on one central theme: Vaccination is not just a private decisionbut a fundamental health policy to protect the entire community. If vaccination rates fall, so-called “herd immunity” will be broken and outbreaks that can have devastating effects on the health system may recur.
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Experts warn that misinformation, the spread of anti-vaccination speech and a loss of risk perception are some of the factors explaining this decline. Unlike other health problems There is no shortage of vaccines in Argentinasince it has one of them most comprehensive vaccination plans in the worldfree and mandatory, guaranteed by national law.
The Mendoza case has sparked a heated social and legal debate, but could also set a precedent for other provinces considering similar measures in the same situation. They emphasize this from the health sector The aim of judicialization is not to punish, but to guarantee the right to health of children and the population in general.
The discussion remains open, but the consensus among doctors, epidemiologists and authorities is clear: The decline in vaccinations poses a serious public health problem and requires urgent action. The re-emergence of eradicated diseases shows once again that prevention remains an essential tool and that failure to comply has consequences that go beyond the individual.
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