Alberta doctors warn of declining childhood immunization rates and call for hospital access to routine vaccines, but the province cites capacity limits.

Alberta Doctors Push for Easier Access to Child Vaccines

Doctors Raise Alarm Over Declining Coverage

Pediatric specialists in Alberta are sounding the alarm over falling childhood immunization rates and urging the province to allow routine vaccines to be administered in children’s hospitals. Their concerns intensified after Canada lost its measles elimination status, a development that physicians say highlights gaps in vaccine delivery. Dr. Sam Wong, president of the pediatrics section at the Alberta Medical Association, said hospital-based access could capture unvaccinated children already seeking care.

Proposal for Hospital Access Meets Resistance

Despite repeated calls from pediatricians to offer routine vaccines in hospital settings, the Alberta government has rejected the proposal. Officials argue that children’s hospitals are under significant strain and cannot accommodate additional vaccination services. The Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services maintains that community clinics remain the safest and most efficient settings for routine immunization.

Front-Line Physicians Cite Missed Opportunities

Doctors working in emergency rooms and pediatric wards report frequent encounters with unvaccinated children whose parents are willing to immunize them. However, many hospitals only offer routine vaccines once a week when a public health nurse visits, leading to missed vaccination windows for short-stay patients. Physicians argue that around-the-clock or even expanded access could prevent future outbreaks and streamline care for vulnerable children.

Declining Rates Fuel Outbreak Fears

Provincial data shows immunization coverage for measles, whooping cough, polio, and other preventable diseases remains well below Alberta’s 95 per cent target. Only 68 per cent of children turning two in 2024 had received two doses of the measles vaccine, with even lower rates in rural zones. Pediatricians warn that low coverage increases the risk of community spread, hospitalizations, and potential deaths, particularly during outbreaks of measles or pertussis.

Government Cites Capacity and Safety Constraints

The province insists that adding routine immunization services to hospitals could increase staff workloads and create risks for medically fragile children. Officials emphasize that some vaccines require specialized storage and administration conditions not consistently available in hospital settings. They note that public health teams do intervene when immunizations are urgently needed due to exposure or extended hospital stays.

Physicians Point to Treatment Delays and Barriers

Doctors say gaps in hospital-based vaccine access can delay essential treatments. In some cases, children requiring immunization before starting immune-suppressing medications have waited days for vaccines, prolonging hospital stays and straining resources. Physicians argue that these avoidable delays highlight the need for more flexible vaccine delivery options inside hospitals.

Ongoing Efforts and Future Concerns

While the Ministry reports no active measles cases and hopes to soon declare the outbreak over, it acknowledges the ongoing risk of new introductions. Pediatricians maintain that without expanded access and administrative changes, Alberta may continue to face preventable outbreaks. They call for innovative solutions to strengthen childhood immunization and ensure timely protection for all children in the province.