Getting sick by omission: the State's debt to children

Epidemiological surveillance in Mexico shows that several vaccine-preventable diseases have increased alarmingly compared to 2024.

As we move to week 32, it is clear that the national vaccination strategy has not yet recovered from the budget cuts of recent years. Although official rhetoric insists that coverage has been restored, the statistical reality is that population protection levels remain far from ideal and that Mexican society faces unnecessary risks from diseases that could already be controlled or even eradicated.

An initial revealing fact is the increase in whooping cough cases. While 223 cases were recorded in 2024, the figure rose to 1,283 in 2025. This increase reflects shortcomings in DPT vaccination coverage and childhood booster schedules. Whooping cough, which had been controlled for decades, is re-emerging as a threat. A similar situation is occurring with chickenpox, which had a cumulative total of 34,749 cases in 2024, but by the same period in 2025, it had already reached 42,842.

Added to this is the surge in measles cases, with 8,977 confirmed cases reported in week 32 of 2025, with 14 deaths, all in unvaccinated individuals. The resurgence of this disease, eradicated in much of the world, is a warning sign about the precariousness of the vaccination system in Mexico and shows that setbacks in this area immediately translate into loss of life.

A particular case is the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to official data, there are 14,370 cumulative cases in 2025, compared to 12,015 reported in the same week last year. In this regard, gender bias is evident: although HPV infection affects both sexes, its most serious consequences fall on women. The lack of universal access to the HPV vaccine reflects a serious omission by the Mexican government. Every year that universal coverage is delayed is a year in which the possibility of preventable deaths increases.

Lack of vaccination has not only medical implications but also social ones. Families face catastrophic expenses when a member falls ill with a preventable disease, which deepens economic inequalities. Furthermore, denying universal and effective access to vaccination violates the principle of the highest attainable standard of health, recognized in the Constitution and in international treaties signed by Mexico.

The resurgence of diseases that had been controlled for decades constitutes a major setback, as behind each case are children suffering from fever, hospitalizations, school absences, and in some cases, permanent after-effects or even death. Vaccination is not an individual choice, but a collective responsibility and necessity that the State must guarantee.

The scenario described shows that Mexico must rebuild its health system more quickly. Above all, it requires more hospitals with the staffing levels that OECD countries have on average, but above all, more affirmative policy coordination to address social determinants and health.

While this is happening, isolated partial supply campaigns are not enough; rather, a comprehensive strategy is needed to guarantee universal coverage; ongoing reinforcement programs for adolescents and young adults; and mechanisms for transparency and citizen monitoring of the actual coverage figures and the distribution of vaccines throughout the country.

In conclusion, Mexico cannot afford to continue accumulating setbacks in this key area for development. Guaranteeing the health of girls and boys means starting with ensuring access to all vaccines in the national vaccination program. The State's negligence in this area puts at risk not only individual health, but also that of the present and future generations. The challenge is clear: restore the effectiveness of the vaccination system and fulfill, without excuses, the human right to health.

@mariolfuentes1