Contribution of Mexico's Universal Immunization Program to the Fourth Millennium Development Goal

• Main Authors: Vesta Richardson, Edgar Sánchez-Uribe, Marcelino Esparza-Aguilar, Alejandra Esteves-Jaramillo, Lorena Suárez-Idueta
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2014
• Subjects: Mortalidad infantil; mortalidad del niño; Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio; programas de inmunización; México; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/10a68a7eeddc4270b028de6db0fc5703

OBJECTIVE: To identify and describe 1) progress achieved thus far in meeting the commitments of the Fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) in Mexico, mainly the contribution of the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) over the last 20 years, and 2) new opportunities for further reducing mortality among children under 5 years old. METHODS: An observational, descriptive, retrospective study was carried out to examine registered causes of death in children under 5 between 1990 and 2010. Indicators were built according to the recommendations of the United Nations. RESULTS: In 2010, deaths among children under 5 decreased 64.3% compared to the baseline (1990) figure. Of the total deaths of the children under 5, the neonatal period was the most affected (52.8%), followed by the 1 to 11 months (30.9%), and the 12 to 59 months (16.2%) groups. A 34% overall mortality reduction was observed after the universalization of immunization against influenza, rotavirus, and pneumococcus in children under 5. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a significant reduction in under-5 mortality in Mexico over the last 20 years, largely due to the successes of the UIP, several challenges remain, particularly in improving preventive and curative services during pre- and postnatal care.