PAHO supports delivery of 1.15 million vaccine doses donated by Brazil to strengthen routine immunization in Venezuela

Caracas, 21 July 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - A shipment of 1.15 million doses of vaccines donated by Brazil arrived in Venezuela on Monday to strengthen the country's routine immunization programme and help protect communities from vaccine-preventable diseases following the devastating earthquakes on the 24 June.

The shipment includes one million doses of the pentavalent vaccine (which protects children against five serious diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b), 102,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and 48,000 doses of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis. The donation also included 20 vials of anti-arachnid antivenom.

Following disasters, the risk of infectious disease outbreaks can increase as health services are disrupted and many families are displaced into temporary shelters. Maintaining high vaccination coverage is essential to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles, diphtheria and pertussis, particularly among children and other vulnerable groups.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) supported the operation by procuring cold boxes for transporting the vaccines, electronic data loggers to continuously monitor temperatures and safeguard the cold chain, and providing additional logistical support to ensure the vaccines arrived safely and remained effective.

This shipment builds on ongoing cooperation between Brazil, Venezuela and PAHO to strengthen immunization efforts. Earlier this year, Brazil's Ministry of Health donated 100,000 doses of yellow fever vaccine and 250,000 canine rabies vaccines to Venezuela's Ministry of Health, with PAHO also providing logistical support to maintain the cold chain throughout transport.

The arrival of these vaccines will support national efforts to restore and sustain essential health services while protecting communities from preventable diseases during the emergency response and recovery phase.