Uruguayan parents urge president for universal, free meningococcal vaccine access

Parents in Uruguay have formally requested President Yamandú Orsi to ensure universal and free access to the meningococcal vaccine for all children and adolescents. The appeal follows a concerning increase in meningococcal disease cases, which have led to 23 infections and seven fatalities across the country.

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The vaccine is not expensive. Expensive is continuing to leave children out.

The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has been working to broaden vaccine coverage. For about a year, infants aged two, four, and 15 months have been eligible for free Bexsero vaccine doses, which protect against meningococcal serogroup B. Additionally, the MenFive vaccine, covering serogroups A, C, W, X, and Y, was initially available for one and 11-year-olds. This coverage was extended on July 2 to include adolescents up to 12 years old due to an unusual rise in cases.

Despite these expansions, parental anxiety persists, particularly after the recent death of an unvaccinated 11-year-old girl in Montevideo. In response to this tragedy and widespread concern, the MSP made an exceptional decision to vaccinate students, teachers, and staff at her school and a nearby kindergarten. This was prompted by the fact that the same disease, though not fatal, had affected another student at the school in May.

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We demand that the MSP of Uruguay include meningitis vaccination in the National Vaccination Program, guaranteeing its gratuity for all children in the country.

For individuals not covered by the free vaccination schedule, the cost of vaccines like Bexsero and Menacta (an equivalent to MenFive) through private health providers runs into thousands of pesos. This financial barrier has fueled the parents' campaign. Online, parents have shared their inability to afford the vaccination schedule and demanded free access. A Change.org petition, gathering around 3,700 signatures, calls for the MSP to include meningitis vaccination in the National Vaccination Program, ensuring it is free for all children. An Instagram account, @vacunasgratisyaenuruguay, has also emerged, advocating for free access to these vital vaccines.

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The vaccine against meningitis, a serious and potentially fatal disease, must be accessible to everyone regardless of each family's financial situation.