"This is just the beginning," Rodolfo Montero, director of the Mendoza Province Health Department in western Argentina, said on 12/12 after announcing that authorities were suing 15 parents for not vaccinating their children.

He noted that many more individuals would face legal action in the coming days. Argentina's National Immunization Program mandates over 10 vaccines for children from birth to adulthood, all provided free of charge.

Healthcare workers prepare to vaccinate children in Mendoza. *Photo: Mendoza Health Agency*

Argentine provinces possess substantial autonomy regarding healthcare services. In August, Mendoza province enacted a new regulation, empowering authorities to identify parents who fail to vaccinate their children.

Under this new regulation, healthcare workers and teachers are authorized to report parents who do not comply with the mandatory immunization program. Violators could face a 230 USD fine, community service, or even imprisonment.

"This regulation is not intended to target parents, but rather to ensure immunity for thousands of children who have not been fully vaccinated," Montero stated.

He reported that this approach is already yielding results, with three individuals promptly vaccinating their children after legal action was initiated.

Local authorities indicate that the primary reason many children remain unvaccinated is family indifference, not anti-vaccine sentiment. While Mendoza's overall vaccination rate stands at 65%, specific diseases like measles, rubella, and mumps see rates as low as 50%.

This year, Argentina has experienced its first measles outbreak in a generation, reporting 35 cases. Health authorities have also documented hundreds of whooping cough cases, resulting in 7 child deaths.

*Hong Hanh (According to AFP)*