health
Demand to Expand Dengue Immunization in Colombia: Barranquilla and Other Areas Left Out
A popular action seeks to have the Ministry of Health expand the free dengue vaccination program in Colombia, after only 18 municipalities were prioritized despite an increase in cases in various regions of the country during the Easter season.
TL;DR
- A popular action seeks to expand Colombia's free dengue vaccination program.
- Only 18 municipalities were prioritized, despite an increase in dengue cases.
- Meta, Cesar, Norte de Santander, Bolívar, and Cartagena have the highest reported cases.
- Lawyers Andrés Dewdney and Edwar Oñate are leading the legal effort.
- The prioritization study reportedly used outdated statistics from 2019-2023 and excluded 2024-2025 data.
- Regions with high dengue rates, such as Barranquilla, Cesar, Valledupar, and La Guajira, were not prioritized.
- The program was initially limited to children aged 9 in fourth grade but was expanded to ages 6-16.
- Health authorities recommend using repellent and getting vaccinated for those traveling during Semana Santa.