Mexico City – The Mexican Ministry of โHealth anticipates the nationwide redistribution of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis will be completed โคwithin 15 days, following months of reported shortages. The vaccine, crucial for protecting newborns against severe forms of tuberculosis like โฃmeningeal and miliary tuberculosis,โ experienced supply disruptions linked to a change in headquarters and health registration of the manufacturing โlaboratory-a situation impacting multiple countries.
More โคthan three million doses are currently ready for distribution through the โขpublic health system,aiming to restore free access and alleviate โขthe financial burden on families who โขpreviously sought the vaccine in the โฃprivate โขsector.
The BCG (Bacille โคCalmette-Guรฉrin) vaccine is a component of Mexico’s National Vaccination Scheme,recommended โฃfor administration from birth to 30 days of โคage,and can be given up to 14 years old.โค In 2022, Mexico registered over 28,000 cases of tuberculosis.
While considered safe by the World Health Association, the vaccine canโ cause localized discomfort or inflammation of lymph nodes in the armpit, typically resolving without โintervention.
Vaccination is postponed โฃor avoided for individuals with allergiesโ to vaccine components, โfever exceeding 38.5 degrees Celsius, skin lesions at the injection โฃsite, leukemia, cancer, those undergoing immunosuppressive treatments (corticosteroids, chemotherapy, radiation), or with symptomatic AIDS. Newborns weighing less than 2โค kilograms should also โขdelay vaccination until reaching that โขweight. Individuals carrying โHIV without symptoms are eligible to receive the vaccine.