Ipiales (Nariño), October 22, 2022. In compliance with the regional commitments signed in the Andean Immunization Committee of the Andean Health Organization, with a view to strengthening coverage with complete immunization schedules in border areas, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia and the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador held a Binational Vaccination Day this Saturday.

The development of the activity between the two neighboring countries is of great importance in terms of public health for the region, considering that Nariño is one of the main migratory corridors in the country.

Johanna Barbosa, director of promotion and prevention of the Colombian health ministry, assured that "to date, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in coordination with the province of Nariño and, of course, with the Mayor's Office of Ipiales, has succeeded in vaccinating a large number of migrants. In general, in Nariño, around 60,000 migrants have been vaccinated, and the numbers for Ipiales are around 39,000."

It should be reiterated that vaccination is the most cost-effective health intervention in every country in the world, with which vaccine-preventable diseases are halted from causing the death of the different age groups of the population.

Under the slogan 'Let's Join Forces for Border Vaccination', the formal act was held in the Plaza 20 de Julio, in Ipiales (Nariño), an event attended by authorities from the municipality, province and national government, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Ecuadorian Health and the Andean Health Organization.

An immunization post was located in the square, with vaccinating teams from both countries. In addition, a point was set up at the Rumichaca International Bridge, where all the permanent EPI and COVID-19 vaccines were administered.

"Consequently, the binational vaccination campaign is sending a clear message and that is that the entire migrant population that is in our country should have–and has–free, timely access to vaccination for the regular schedule and, of course, for COVID-19, thus guaranteeing the fundamental right to health as one of the national government banners," concluded Barbosa.

The activity complements the binational efforts made through working groups, in which, periodically, indicators have been established for monitoring the behavior of the pandemic and other tracer events, from an epidemiological point of view.