The Ministry of Health announced on April 25 the start of Vaccination Week in the Americas 2026, a national campaign aimed at closing immunization gaps through door-to-door brigades and access to vaccines at more than six thousand health centers. The initiative will run from April 25 to May 3, offering free access to 18 vaccines that protect against 28 diseases, with a focus on children, pregnant women, and older adults across Peru.
Minister of Health Dr. Juan Carlos Velasco was joined by Minister of Energy and Mines Waldir Ayasta; Vice Ministers Dr. Henry Rebaza Iparraguirre and Dr. Luis Loro Chero; and Lambayeque Regional Governor Dr. Jorge Luis Pérez at the launch event in Chiclayo. The minister called on all Peruvians to unite against disease by embracing prevention through vaccination available year-round at health centers throughout the country.
The government has allocated an investment of 500 million soles for this effort, led by President José María Balcázar. The Ministry confirmed that vaccine supplies are guaranteed nationwide in all health facilities.
“Today we do not talk about vaccination; we talk about preventing pain, avoiding diseases, protecting life,” said Velasco during his remarks. “In Peru we have 18 vaccines and I announce that very soon we will present the new National Vaccination Scheme: there will be 23 vaccines to prevent disease. Today I ask Peru—husbands take your pregnant wives, mothers take your children to health centers to care for them, children take your parents and grandparents so they may live long lives. We are not a transitional cabinet but an executive cabinet benefiting all Peruvians.”
Vaccination Week targets high-risk groups including children under five years old, those under ten with incomplete schedules, adolescents aged nine to eighteen for HPV vaccination, pregnant women needing protection against influenza or diphtheria among others, as well as adults over sixty facing respiratory illnesses like influenza or pneumococcus infection. Access remains free throughout the year according to vaccine availability in local clinics.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment stating that vaccination is both a citizen’s right and government priority: “With the goal of leaving no one behind,” officials called on families across Peru “to open their doors to identified brigades and visit health centers for their doses.” This mobilization represents what officials described as a historic investment in prevention along with an ongoing commitment toward ensuring longer healthier lives.
