Amid declining vaccination rates, Mendoza province filed the first 15 judicial complaints against families failing to follow the mandatory vaccination schedule. This action addresses the resurgence of previously eradicated diseases such as measles, rubella, mumps, and whooping cough. Penalties include fines up to 336,000 pesos, up to five days of arrest, and community service.
Declining vaccination rates have raised alarms in Argentina's health system, allowing the return of diseases once controlled through immunization campaigns. In Mendoza, in August, the provincial government took an unprecedented step by filing 15 judicial complaints against parents who failed to adhere to the mandatory childhood vaccination schedule. This initiative responds to the rise in preventable illnesses, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly affecting young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.
Mendoza has tightened controls and set penalties for non-compliance: fines ranging from 84,000 to 336,000 pesos, up to five days of arrest, or community service, depending on severity and repetition. The issue was discussed on the program 'Bienvenidos al Tren,' hosted by Juan Di Natale, where experts emphasized vaccination as a key public health policy to sustain 'herd immunity' and prevent outbreaks.
Experts link the coverage drop to misinformation, anti-vaccine rhetoric, and diminished risk awareness. Nonetheless, Argentina maintains a comprehensive, free, and mandatory national vaccination schedule with no shortages. The legal actions aim to balance individual choice with collective responsibility, safeguarding the population's right to health. This Mendoza case may set a precedent for other provinces facing the same public health challenge.
