Vaccination budget and coverage
The federal Ministry of Health also assures that there is no shortage of vaccines. It acquired 27.3 million doses for use during 2026. But, as of Jan. 20, it had only distributed 3.8 million.
Mexico has measles vaccines available and sufficient to serve the population of the entire country,”
Ministry of Health
However, the agency faces a complex panorama. Although it has provided 11.8 million doses, it is struggling with the consequences of past six-year terms, in which vaccination coverage fell considerably.
In 2024, the first dose against measles reached coverage of only 79.8%. In 2025 it reached 84%. But coverage of at least 95% is needed in all states and health institutions to protect the population from new outbreaks.
Health authorities also operate with fewer resources allocated to the Universal Vaccination Program. The approved spending suffered a cut of more than half between 2024 and 2025, with 9,428 million pesos less.
In addition to the decrease in resources, the agency has used less money than approved. In the report Proposals for Vaccination in Mexico 2024, from the Mexican Association of Vaccinology, it is detailed that in the last four years less than 25% of the resources allocated to vaccination have been spent.
In 2025, for example, an amount of 4,528 million pesos was approved and only 3,862 million have been used, according to data from the Ministry of Health. The agency explained that 15% of the remaining budget will be used to pay for vaccines purchased in December, whose invoices were delivered by suppliers at the beginning of fiscal year 2026.
“It is important to note that the Ministry of Health spends most of the budget on the purchase of vaccines during the last quarter of the year, derived from the acquisition of biologicals intended to serve the winter season, such as influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, as well as measles vaccines,” he stated.
