Peru’s Ministry of Health has initiated a nationwide vaccination drive to administer over 60,000 doses across the country, aiming to close immunisation gaps and combat persistent measles presence through a comprehensive, multi-age campaign extending until December.
Peru’s Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide vaccination drive that will run until 23 August, with officials aiming to deliver more than 60,000 doses in the first phase and reduce gaps in routine immunisation. The campaign brings together health services, vaccination brigades and local teams across the country, and the ministry said the effort will continue through the rest of the year with further activity planned until December.
Liliana Chirinos Aponte, the ministry’s director of immunisations, said the campaign is aimed at people of all ages who still have pending doses, from newborn babies to older adults. According to the ministry, the priority groups include children under one and under five, teenagers who have not yet received the human papillomavirus vaccine, pregnant women needing the new respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, and older adults who require influenza and pneumococcal protection.
The ministry has also said that newborns and infants under six months can receive protection against respiratory syncytial virus through a monoclonal antibody, particularly when the mother did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy. The current drive is designed to work beyond fixed clinics, with teams carrying out house-to-house visits, targeted sweeps, catch-up actions and vaccinations in schools, universities and other crowded settings. Chirinos Aponte noted that measles remains present in the country and said vaccination is the main way to prevent it.
The campaign follows a series of broader immunisation pushes by the ministry this year. Earlier, according to official notices, Peru distributed more than 6.2 million vaccine doses for the Week of Vaccination in the Americas, and the government has since expanded the national schedule from 18 to 23 vaccines, adding five vaccines and a monoclonal antibody. Health officials say the expanded programme now gives Peru one of the region’s most comprehensive immunisation schedules, covering protection across childhood, pregnancy and older age.
Families are being urged to check vaccination cards and visit the nearest health centre to complete any missing doses. The ministry says all vaccines in the national schedule are free and are intended to prevent illness, hospitalisation and death. A second national vaccination day is planned for 21 to 27 September.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
