It seems incredible that the suitability of vaccines is questioned when it is very clear that immunization is one of the most successful and profitable public health investments we can make for future generations.
According to UNICEF data, vaccines save the lives of up to three million children every year.
Today, four out of every five children in the world are vaccinated against major fatal diseases, a much higher proportion than the 20% who received these vaccines just over 30 years ago. Undoubtedly, a very important advance for the health of the little ones that we must promote and in which we must continue working so that the immunization is total.
Vaccines yes, vaccines no? Absolutely. Almost a third of deaths among children under five are preventable by vaccines. That is, if they were received, many children would not get sick, for example, of polio, measles or tetanus, diseases that thanks to immunization are practically eradicated, although cases of deaths of children with measles in developed countries such as Germany are surprising.
Vaccines not only prevent deaths, but also countless cases of disease, sequelae derived from these diseases or disabilities. We see it from our comfortable armchair in developed country. We have access to most vaccines (ahem, better not to talk about chickenpox vaccine) and very high coverage. For example, the coverage of the DTP3 vaccine (triple diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) is 96% in industrialized countries.
But if we change the focus and look towards developing countries, numerous populations in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and India do not have access to this immunization, where there are large inequalities in coverage.
It is absurd, in this scenario, to ask whether the unvaccinated children are in better health than the vaccinated children. Of course, when your child's life does not depend on a vaccine, it can be speculated that group immunity will protect him against serious diseases, and that if he becomes ill, he will have access to quality health care that will prevent his death. Unfortunately, three million children in the world They don't have that opportunity and they need vaccines to save their lives ...
