RIVM report highlights need for timely vaccination data from St. Maarten

GREAT BAY--The latest 2026 report from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, RIVM, on vaccination coverage within the National Immunisation Programme identifies St. Maarten as one of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom for which vaccination data was not submitted in time for inclusion in the report.

The report, titled “Vaccinatiegraad Rijksvaccinatieprogramma Nederland, Verslagjaar 2026,” reviews vaccination coverage in the Netherlands and, where available, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, including Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. RIVM states that for Curaçao and St. Maarten, it was not possible, due to circumstances, to provide the data in time.

As a result, the report does not provide St. Maarten-specific vaccination coverage rates in its Caribbean overview table. In Table 9, St. Maarten is listed among the Caribbean territories, but the relevant vaccination coverage entries for St. Maarten are marked with an asterisk rather than percentages or cohort totals.

The absence of St. Maarten data is significant because the report emphasizes the importance of vaccination monitoring for public health decision-making. RIVM notes that monitoring vaccination coverage helps assess vaccine effectiveness and safety, supports international reporting to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, and gives policymakers the information needed to take appropriate measures.

RIVM also underscores that a sufficiently high vaccination rate is necessary for group protection, helping to prevent the continued circulation of infectious diseases and protecting children who are too young to be vaccinated, as well as vulnerable persons who cannot be vaccinated.

The 2026 report further notes that more than 500 measles cases were reported in 2025 in the Netherlands, with most cases occurring among children at primary schools with low vaccination coverage. This broader finding highlights the importance of reliable vaccination data and strong local monitoring systems.

According to the report, vaccination coverage in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is generally high. However, RIVM also cautions that comparisons between the islands are not always straightforward because target groups and vaccination schedules differ. The report further explains that the method used may underestimate coverage among school-aged children in the Caribbean, because vaccinations are often offered by school year rather than by birth year.

The report’s reference to St. Maarten therefore points less to a published decline or increase in coverage and more to a data-reporting gap. Without timely submission of vaccination figures, St. Maarten’s actual vaccination picture cannot be properly assessed within the Kingdom-wide overview.

Public health officials are being encouraged to ensure that St. Maarten’s vaccination data is submitted in a timely and complete manner for future reporting cycles. Accurate data is essential to identify possible gaps, strengthen outreach to parents and guardians, protect children from preventable diseases and support evidence-based public health planning.

The report also makes clear that vaccination programmes are not only about individual protection, but about community protection. For St. Maarten, timely data collection and reporting remain key to ensuring that health authorities, schools, parents and the wider community have a clear understanding of where the country stands and what actions may be needed.

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