WILLEMSTAD – Vaccination coverage varies sharply across the Dutch Caribbean, according to the latest RIVM 2026 National Immunisation Programme report, which includes available data for Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.
The report shows strong infant vaccination coverage in Aruba and Bonaire, where several key infant vaccines reached around or above 90 percent. Aruba reported 92.0 percent for DKT(P)-Hib-(Hep B), 92.6 percent for pneumococcal vaccination and 94.1 percent for the first measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Bonaire reported 90.1 percent for DKT(P)-Hib-(Hep B), pneumococcal vaccination and 90.5 percent for the first measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
Saba recorded very high rates in several categories, including 100 percent coverage for multiple infant, preschool and school-age vaccinations. The report also notes that Saba's RSV immunization rate for the 2025/2026 season was 68.8 percent, while rotavirus vaccination coverage for the 2024 cohort was 86.7 percent.
The picture is more concerning for St. Eustatius, where infant coverage was 65.6 percent for several vaccines and preschool coverage was below 41 percent for D(K)T(P) and BMR(W)2. MenACWY coverage among 15-year-olds was reported at only 4.0 percent.
For Bonaire, the report also shows a decline in vaccination rates among older children. While infant coverage was around 90 percent, D(K)T(P) coverage among 5-year-olds was 61.2 percent. HPV coverage was also relatively low, particularly among boys. RIVM notes that Bonaire's first HPV dose uptake is much higher than the second dose, because the first dose is given at school while the second requires an appointment at the clinic.
For Curaçao, the report does not provide usable vaccination coverage figures. The Curaçao column is marked with an asterisk in the relevant categories, indicating that data were not submitted on time or could not be provided due to circumstances.
RIVM cautions that the Caribbean figures should be interpreted carefully. With the exception of Aruba, vaccination registration systems in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom are not linked to the population registry, making it harder to track migration and calculate precise vaccination coverage.
The report underlines the importance of reliable vaccination data, especially as the Netherlands recorded more than 500 measles cases in 2025, mostly among children at schools with low vaccination coverage.