Monday, October 20, 2008

Yellow Fever vaccination recommendations

After much contradiction from a Ministry of Health and the chaotic implementation of a vaccination program, the yellow fever vaccination is no longer required for all travelers entering or leaving Panama. Under Communique 3 and Resolution 840 of 2008, effective November 1, 2008, the vaccination is RECOMMENDED for travelers:
- departing Panama to Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Venezuela in South América, and Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Camerun, Congo D.R., Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Sudan in Africa,
- travelling to Panama province East, San Blas and Darien province.

The good intentions of the vaccination were overshadowed by thousands of complaints by taxpayers from long lines at MINSA vaccination centers and an irrational limit of 300 vaccinations per day.

While Panama may not make the vaccination compulsory, other countries may demand that travellers coming from Panama have the yellow WHO International Vaccination Certificate.




WHO List of Yellow Fever countries
Rescinded MINSA order to vaccinate
.

No comments: