Between April 18 and May 17, 2022, the Ministry of Health´s Special Secretariat of Indigenous Health (SESAI) will take immunizers to more than 130 thousand indigenous people from almost one thousand villages.

The effort to extend immunization is part of the 16th edition of the Indigenous Peoples´ Vaccination Month - MVPI. This month is part of the Vaccination Week of the Americas, held every year by the Pan-American Health Organization.

With the MVPI, SESAI seeks to increase coverage and access to vaccination in areas of difficult access, strengthen the collection of data on diseases that can be prevented by vaccines in the villages and complete the vaccination schemes of the public of various age groups and intensify the planning of joint immunization actions between DSEI and State or Municipal Health Coordinations.

The entire indigenous population of the prioritized areas will benefit from the initiative because they will be offered vaccine doses according to the National Vaccination Calendar for Indigenous Peoples.

Among the immunizers available are those against several diseases, such as: Covid-19, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Rubella, Pertussis, Measles, Mumps, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Yellow Fever, Varicella, severe forms of Tuberculosis, Gastroenteritis caused by Rotavirus, HPV (types 6, 11, 16, and 18), Influenza, Pneumonias, Meningitis, and other severe bacterial infections.

It is noteworthy that although the campaign intensifies this month, all 34 Special Indigenous Sanitary Districts (DSEI) have the same vaccines throughout the year, including the vaccine against Covid-19.

Text: Patrícia Rodrigues/Nucom/SESAI
Translation: Renata Arruda/Nucom/SESAI