Philippines launches P853-M vaccination program in schools

THE PHILIPPINES’ Health and Education departments on Monday launched an P853-million catch-up vaccination program that seeks to immunize more than 3 million students against diseases such as measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria (MR, Td) and human papillomavirus (HPV).

In a statement, the Department of Health (DoH) said the government would immunize at least 3.8 million public school students enrolled in Grades 1 and 7 with vaccines against MR, Td, and 973,930 female Grade 4 students with HPV vaccines that protect against cervical cancer.

The vaccination program will be implemented across public schools nationwide until November.

Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa last month said students in private schools would be allowed to get vaccinated in public schools, noting that private schools only need to have tie-ups with them.

The catch-up plan is part of the DoH’s national immunization program, which seeks to give out 11 vaccines for babies from birth to 12 months.

The routine immunization for children, according to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines, includes the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis, hepatitis B vaccine, pentavalent vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, haemophilus influenzae type B and hepatitis B.

These also include the oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine; PCV vaccine against pneumonia and meningitis; and the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella.

Mr. Herbosa had said the number of fully immunized children was low, and the immunization rate was decreasing largely due to school disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In the statement, the Health department said it had recorded 3,356 cases of measles and rubella with 11 deaths nationwide, 215 cases of diphtheria with 25 deaths and 81 cases of neonatal tetanus with 44 deaths.

It said 7,897 women had been diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 4,052 die from the disease annually.  “All of these cases and deaths could have been prevented through safe and effective vaccination.”

In the same statement, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo M. Angara said the vaccination campaign would help boost education outcomes.

“School-based immunization strengthens this agenda, particularly in ensuring the physical and mental well-being of learners to enjoy learning that is free from health burdens and putting a premium on ensuring a positive learning experience for our learners,” he said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza