DOH targets to vaccinate 2-M people vs vaccinepreventable diseases

MANILA – In line with the World Immunization Week, the Department of Health (DOH) is eyeing to vaccinate over two million children, adults, and pregnant women to protect them against other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) aside from COVID-19.

With the theme “Magpabakuna Na! Long Life for All, Kaya sa Healthy Pilipinas,” the DOH has worked with the Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID), Philippine College for Geriatric Medicine, and the Philippine Nurses Association to underscore the importance of immunization for all age groups.

At the DOH Kapihan session yesterday, Dr. Faith Villanueva of the PSMID, explained that there are 12 vaccines recommended for the general adult population and those adults with certain medical conditions. These include the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, according to data by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

“Vaccines bring us closer to a world where no one suffers or dies from a vaccine-preventable disease. If the vaccine is available locally, we must offer it to eligible individuals and we must ensure that it is given properly to these individuals,” she said.

Further, the DOH is set to conduct its national vaccination days for routine and catch-up immunization dubbed as “Chikiting Bakunation Days,” starting on Thursday, April 28.

This inoculation program will be held every last Thursday and Friday of April, May, and June.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier noted that the DOH is eyeing to vaccinate at least 80% of the remaining 1.1 million infants who missed their routine immunization in 2021.

For this year’s immunization program, Dr. Joannah Kaye Borallo of DOH’s National Immunization Program said among the key beneficiaries are the 1,103,564 infants aged 0 to 12 months old who were not vaccinated last year, as well as the 577,601 infants aged 0 to 12 months old yet to be vaccinated this year.

Among the shots that will be provided to the kids are the pentavalent vaccine, oral polio vaccine (OPV), pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV).

In a statement, Vergeire said that such efforts aim to achieve an enabled and strong immunization system for all Filipinos to attain a vaccine-preventable disease-free and a healthier Philippines.

“We would like to take this opportunity to ramp up our vaccination efforts for routine immunization, while our national cases are declining, and our health system capacity is manageable. This is very important to prevent an additional burden of disease that may be caused by these vaccinepreventable diseases,” she added.