The Technological Institute in Immunobiologicals (Bio-Manguinhos / Fiocruz), an organ linked to the Ministry of Health, is the world’s largest producer of the vaccine against yellow fever. Bio-Manguinhos is also the main supplier of vaccines of the Ministry of Health and its production is made from the annual forecast of the National Immunization Program (PNI).

Image/CAMERAGE
Image/CAMERAGE

According to Agencia Fiocruz (computer translated), routinely the monthly production of the yellow fever vaccine in Bio-Manguinhos is 4 million doses. Due to the increase in demand and the prioritization of this input, production currently stands at 6 million doses. The Institute, however, has the capacity to produce 9 million doses per month, which represents 108 million per year.

The vaccines produced in Bio-Manguinhos are transported in refrigerated trucks to the National Center for the Storage and Distribution of Immunobiologicals (Cenadi), where they remain in cold rooms until the approval of lots of vaccines and diluents by the National Institute of Health Quality Control (INCQS) / Fiocruz). Once the lots are released, Cenadi sends them in thermal boxes to the state health coordinators, who in turn send them to the regional plants, where the vaccines are stored. Then the representatives of the vaccination posts take out the necessary amount for a certain period in the region in which they act.

As of Wednesday,  574 cases of yellow fever have been confirmed in the country. In all, 1,987 suspected cases were reported, of which 487 remained in the investigation and 926 were discarded. Of the 282 deaths reported, 187 were confirmed, 71 are still investigated and 24 were discarded.

Routine vaccination for yellow fever is offered in 19 states (Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins, Federal District, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Bahia, Maranhão, Piauí, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina) with recommendation for immunization. It is worth noting that vaccination does not occur in all municipalities in Bahia, Piauí, São Paulo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. In addition to the recommended areas, the populations of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo are also being vaccinated in a staggered fashion. People living in these locations should take two doses of the vaccine throughout their lives.

Since the beginning of this year the Ministry of Health has sent extra doses of the vaccine against yellow fever to states that are registering suspected cases of the disease, as well as others located in the border with areas that have notified cases. In total, 20.6 million extra doses were sent to five states: Minas Gerais (7.5 million), São Paulo (4.7 million), Espírito Santo (3.6 million), Rio de Janeiro Million) and Bahia (1.4 million). In addition, since January of this year, 4.1 million doses of the routine vaccine have been distributed to all units of the Federation.

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