Vaccine Hesitancy Threatens Public Health Gains

Vaccination has long been a cornerstone of public health policy, protecting individuals from life-threatening diseases and serving as a recognized human and social right, reports Mexico’s Ministry of Health. According to WHO, vaccines can prevent over 30 infections, enabling people of all ages to live longer and healthier lives. Yet, recent data show that coverage gaps remain, threatening to reverse years of progress.

Mexico’s vaccination coverage is 81.1%, below the 95% goal, though recovery efforts for six-year-olds have reached 92%, according to David Kershenobich, Mexico’s Minister of Health. Nonetheless, the WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently warned of a decline in the number of children receiving life-saving immunizations in Mexico, largely due to service disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,” says Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF. 

To face this problem, this year, the Government of Mexico allocated over MX$15 billion (US$880 million) for the purchase of 96 million doses covering 14 vaccines under the Universal Vaccination Program (PVU).

However, vaccine supply alone is insufficient, explains Rodrigo Romero, Coordinator, Mexican Association of Vaccinology. Ensuring widespread protection requires coordinated action by governments, healthcare workers, civil society, international organizations, and individuals to strengthen immunization programs. In Mexico, hesitancy around certain vaccines, such as those for COVID-19, influenza, and HPV, continues to pose an obstacle, says Romero.

This trend is also evident in other countries, where even health authorities are making statements or recommendations that undermine vaccines or raise doubts about their effectiveness. In the United States, for example, Health Secretary Robert Kennedy has moved to replace the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the body responsible for recommending who should receive specific vaccines. He has also withdrawn support for the development of several vaccines.

“BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza,” Kennedy announced in early August.

Rebuilding public trust remains central to expanding coverage. Confidence in vaccines depends not only on their proven safety and effectiveness but also on the ability of institutions to deliver them competently and transparently. Authorities face the task of countering misinformation, addressing community-specific concerns and ensuring fair distribution across regions.

Mexico continues its efforts to promote vaccination nationwide. For example, Kershenobich recently presented a program focused on measles prevention, as the disease has caused 4,353 cases and 17 deaths in the country, mostly in Chihuahua, reports MBN.