The Basque Country is limiting vaccinations to save money

The county's health department has failed in its commitment to protect residents over the age of 65 from the virus.It indicated that only those born in 1960 and at risk were vaccinated.

Basquiat country restricts vaccinations against expensive

The region's health department is not fulfilling its commitment to protect the over-65 population from the virus.Issued an indication to vaccinate only those born in 1960 and risk groups

Aunque el Departamento de Salud del País Vasco publicó en el año 2023 una instrucción sobre la vacunación frente a herpes zóster en la que se estableció que la población diana del programa serían todas las personas mayores de 65 años, (535.000, el 24% de la población de la región, según los últimos datos del Instituto Nacional de Estadística) la realidad es que la última compra realizada por el Gobierno vasco, en junio de 2024, fue de cerca de 40.000 dosis, por lo que solo se podía inmunizar a 20.000 personas (la pauta completa es de 2 dosis).

That is, the guidelines themselves were committed to providing health care to a population that, based on current data, had no intention of following through.

A few days ago, professionals in all the health centers of the Basque Country received new signs from the Basque Government: Only vaccinations at the age of 65 years, that is, those born in 1960 and risk groups.The paper, which was bribed, caused a great controversy, showing that the vaccination schedule that needs to be planned to find the dangerous risk is not owned and not accounted for. Independence.

For example, the Madrid Society has announced that it will expand vaccination to all age groups by 2026. The Basque Country and Andalusia, in fact, are the only two autonomous regions that will vaccinate people born in the 1960s, in addition to the risk groups.

Cabe recordar que la vacunación completa contra el virus varicela-zóster ha demostrado, además de su efectividad contra la infección, que afecta a una de cada tres personas de entre 50 y 90 años, reducir en algo más del 30% el riesgo de demencia, una protección que se mantienen entre 5 y 10 años después de la inmunización.

Evidence in this sense has been one of the reasons why the elderly show great interest in consuming a complete diet.In fact, various media outlets in the Basque Country repeated this summer's "avalanche" of requests for immunization, which the Ministry of Health did not respond to, because it did not have enough doses of Shingrix (the brand name of the vaccine) to accept the commitment to the public, and did not even plan to buy new ones in time.

In this understanding, the Basque health statement Alberto MartíNez, because he has confused that no one buys, in June 2024, no one is currently shown vaccination.

On the other hand, it should be noted that purchases of public supply, when the sums exceed one million euros, must go through the state councils of the communities and be approved there. In the case of the Basque Country, as this newspaper has found out, none have been approved in 2025.

Recombinant vaccines (such as Shingrix) are complex biological products that take months for pharmaceutical companies to produce in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the population.However, the adviser said in a statement to El Correo on Wednesday that "more doses have been obtained" and "will be available this month."

In this sense, with LA RAZÓN's opinion on this controversy, the pharmaceutical company that produces and markets Shingrix, GSK, points out that “it is at the disposal of the Basque Government at all times to provide the necessary doses according to regional indications to ensure compliance with the shingles immunization program and to support its work.

Inequality for the elderly

This situation results in older people in the Basque Country being treated unequally compared to other autonomous communities in terms of their right to health protection.The controversy reached the Basque Parliament.As "El Correo" reported yesterday, EH Bildu Deputy Director Rebeka Ubera sent a parliamentary question to Alberto Martínez about how he plans to handle the situation.The Basque adviser responded that the Ministry of Health “estimates” enough shingles vaccine doses “to meet the needs of at-risk groups.”

However, it seems that adults have to wait more than "months" to receive it.

Log in to your account