Post-coup Brazil cuts even vaccinations for babies.

247 – Amid untimely outbreaks of yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, and other severe epidemics, the coup led to an unprecedented collapse of the government's vaccination programs, which were once international benchmarks. Vaccination coverage for infants and children reached its lowest level in 16 years.

"Amid warnings about the risk of the return of nearly forgotten diseases, vaccination coverage rates for babies and children fell again in 2017, reaching the lowest level in the country in at least 16 years. For the first time in this period, all vaccines recommended for children under one year old fell below the Ministry of Health's target, which aims for 95% immunization of this population. Most now have rates between 70,7% and 83,9% — the exception is the BCG vaccine, offered in maternity wards, with 91,4%."

The data comes from the PNI (National Immunization Program), a strategy internationally recognized for its success in controlling diseases in the country. Until last year, the ministry stated that it was still too early to verify a downward trend in vaccination rates. Now, the federal government acknowledges the problem. Among the vaccines with reduced coverage are those that protect against polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, chickenpox, rotavirus, and meningitis. "These are the lowest levels ever recorded," he told [the source]. Sheet The program coordinator, Carla Domingues, stated that the department provided data dating back to 2002. "From 2015 onwards, we saw stability and a slight reduction. But in 2017 we had an even sharper drop."

Read more here.