Senior citizens to get free anti-pneumonia vaccines

Senior citizens aged 60 to 65 years old can avail of free anti-pneumonia vaccines in their respective health centers starting this year, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

Health Secretary Janette Garin said the vaccine will be administered in two doses. Senior citizens aged 60 years old will be given the first dose and will receive the second dose after five years, while senior citizens aged 65 years old will receive one dose.

“Pneumococcal vaccines have been long available in the Philippines, specifically in the private sector. DOH wants to ensure that these are distributed not only to the people who have enough resources to access life-saving medicine and services, but also to our indigent citizens nationwide. This is our goal in attaining universal health care,” she added.

Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of serious illness throughout the world. It is caused by a common type of bacteria, the pneumococcus, which can attack different parts of the body.

Illnesses caused by pneumococcus include pneumonia, meningitis, middle ear and sinus infections and a condition called sepsis or infection of the bloodstream.

Age- related impairment of the immune system compounded with decrease of physical activity and poor nutrition increase the risk of severe pneumococcal infection.

In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that more than 1.6 million people die from pneumococcal infections every year. It remains a major cause of mortality worldwide.