Cuban experience in immunization, 1962-2016/ Experiencia cubana en inmunizacion, 1962-2016/ Experiencia cubana em imunizacao, 1962-2016

The Immunization Program of Cuba was created in 1962 as a result of the political, economic and social transformations initiated in 1959, when communicable diseases --among them those preventable by vaccines--were the main cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Its organization and uninterrupted implementation allowed that six diseases, two serious clinical forms and two serious complications were eliminated, and the remaining ones have incidence and mortality rates that do not represent a health problem. In Cuba, an average of 4.8 million doses of simple or combined vaccines are administered annually protecting against 13 diseases, including a pentavalent vaccine whose five components are produced in the country. Oral polio vaccination in the 1962 campaign was the first experience in the Region of the Americas with community and intersectoral participation, and Cuba was the first country to eliminate the disease. Recent results of Cuban research have influenced the World Eradication Program. The universal vaccination against hepatitis B at 24 hours after birth was achieved 19 years before the goal set by the World Health Organization using a national vaccine. In Cuba, vaccination is free and it is integrated into primary health care, with universal access. The commitment and political will to the health of the population is conveyed through a comprehensive health system. Information and epidemiological surveillance are systematic, reliable and sensitive. Vaccination coverage is above 98% for all vaccines and the population has a high immune level. Keywords Immunization; vaccines; health systems; Cuba. El Programa de Inmunizacion de Cuba se creo en 1962 como resultado de las transformaciones politicas, economicas y sociales iniciadas en 1959, cuando las enfermedades transmisibles -entre ellas las prevenibles por vacunas--eran la principal causa de morbilidad y mortalidad en la poblacion infantil. Su organizacion y ejecucion ininterrumpida han permitido que seis enfermedades, dos formas clinicas graves y dos complicaciones graves esten eliminadas, y las restantes mantengan tasas de incidencia y mortalidad que no constituyen un problema de salud. Anualmente, en Cuba se administran, en promedio, 4 800 000 dosis de vacunas simples o combinadas que protegen contra 13 enfermedades, incluida una pentavalente cuyos cinco componentes se producen en el pais. La vacunacion antipoliomielitica oral en la campana de 1962 fue la primera experiencia en la Region de