Boa Vista - Hugging her mother, Alejandra, 11 years old, faced the fear of the needle to receive immunization against COVID-19 in the spontaneous occupation where she lives in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima. In addition to protection against the pandemic disease, she had the vaccination card updated with the doses established by the national vaccination calendar of the Ministry of Health. The joint action carried out by IOM, the United Nations Agency for Migration, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Municipal Health Secretariat of Boa Vista aims to expand the vaccination coverage of the refugee and migrant population outside the shelters. 

During the month of May, the IOM health team toured the 16 spaces identified in the capital with Venezuelan residents who are not in the federal shelters of Operation Welcome, a humanitarian response of the Brazilian government, to promote the vaccination campaign against coronavirus, yellow fever, MMR and influenza within these spaces.  

"Every month, IOM conducts surveys to map the social profile in these places and, analyzing the data, we realized the great need for vaccination in the spontaneous occupations because vaccination rates, especially against COVID-19, were below 50%, especially in the child population," explained the organization's doctor Carolina Hernandez.  

To encourage vaccination, several information sessions were held and PADF actively sought out spontaneous occupations to point out the importance of immunization, answer questions and dispel false perceptions about vaccination in children. With the good reception from the residents, the planning of the campaign began.  

From there, the Boa Vista Municipal Health Secretariat supported the campaign with supplies such as doses and syringes, UNICEF provided two nurses, and PADF also supported with a nurse and two health promoters, who provided support for the inclusion of data in the beneficiaries' vaccination cards. 

According to Hernandez, the immunization of the Venezuelan refugee and migrant population is fundamental, as they enter a new territory and need to keep their immunization updated and up to date in the country. "Vaccinations are the main prevention for some diseases, in addition to reducing the number of infectious pathologies, it also prevents the development of their severe forms," the doctor added.   

In total, the IOM applied 742 vaccine doses, 302 for COVID-10, including 74 doses for children aged 5 to 11 years, 54 doses for yellow fever, 112 doses of MMR and 274 doses for influenza. 

According to the leadership of the spontaneous occupation Paraviana, Andeina, the campaign within the space allowed the update of the residents' vaccination card. "I am very grateful, because today it was possible for my son to receive the first dose against COVID-19", she said. 

For Yarymar, Alejandra's mother, the vaccination demonstrates health care for all. "We have just arrived in Brazil and it is good to see my children protected in this way," she said. Already for Alejandra, once the fear was over, she only felt happiness. "It hurt, but it was quick!" she said laughing when she saw her name on the Certificate of Value for children who are vaccinated against coronavirus.  

IOM's activities are financially supported by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).