Construct a ranking of national immunization programs in Latin America in 2020 and compare it with the previous year.
Eighteen national immunization programs were evaluated on the basis of public information obtained from official sites of the countries’ ministries of health, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and local sources. The ranking was based on the 2020 vaccination schedule for different life stages, special situations, vaccination against influenza, 2019 vaccination coverage, and programmatic aspects.
Vaccination coverage decreased in most countries. The average regional declined in 2020, as did the scores for most countries, except Chile and Colombia. Chile leads the ranking, followed by Uruguay, Panama, and Costa Rica. Chile stands out for its full calendar, higher vaccination coverage rates, and programmatic achievements.
The lower overall score in 2020 highlights the need to recover the Region’s vaccination coverage rates. This analysis seeks to motivate countries to address pending challenges.
