The Department of Health (DOH) urged parents to let their children get immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio as the agency launched a supplemental immunization campaign on Thursday, April 27.
The vaccination campaign called “Chikiting Ligtas 2023: Join the Big Catch Up, Magpabakuna para sa Healthy Pilipinas!” was launched at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, coinciding with the observance of World Immunization Week. This nationwide immunization activity will run until May 31.
Health Assistant Secretary Beverly Ho said over nine million children aged nine months to 59 months old are eligible to receive the measles-rubella vaccine. Meanwhile, more than 11 million children aged zero to 59 months old are eligible to receive the oral polio vaccine.
“Ang mga health workers natin ay iikot sa mga barangay at patuloy na magiging bukas po ang mga health centers para magbigay po ng mga bakuna na libre (Our health workers will visit the different vilages and the health centers will continue to be open to give vaccines for free),” said Ho.
The DOH is aiming to attain 95 percent coverage for this program, said DOH Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing a sharp decline in immunization in the last few years. From 87 percent in 2014, our childhood immunization rates went down to 68 percent in 2019. In 2021, the Philippines was among the countries with the highest number of unvaccinated children,” said Vergeire.
“Through your concerted efforts, we can achieve 95 percent immunization coverage of our children and prevent epidemics from happening,” she added.
Importance of vaccines
Vergeire said that “prior to the widespread use of vaccines, getting afflicted with polio is equivalent to getting a life-sentence.” Before, children with polio suffered from paralysis, breathing problems, and even death.
The same goes for those children afflicted with measles and rubella before the vaccine was invented, where some of them suffered from bleeding, brain swelling, pneumonia, among others, said Vergeire.
“At present, we no longer witness the ill and grave effects of these diseases. This is due to the decades of hard work and perseverance in ensuring that all Filipino children are protected by life-saving vaccines,” she said.
Citing recent data, Ho said about 50,000 measles cases were recorded in 2019, of which 637 died. In the same year, four children died due to "polio-compatible disease."
“Measles, rubella, and polio are highly contagious diseases but are also easily preventable through immunization,” said Vergeire.
Safe and effective
The vaccines against these diseases are already proven safe and effective, Vergeire reiterated.
“Ang mga bakunang ito ay ligtas, epektibo, at ginagamit na ng iba’t-ibang bansa upang maprotektahan ang kanilang mga kabataan (These vaccines are safe, effective, and are already being used by various countries to protect the young people),” she said.
“These vaccines are made available so that no child or family will suffer from the complications of vaccine-preventable diseases and the high cost that would come with hospitalization,” she added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) affirmed their commitment to support the routine immunization program of the DOH. This includes “procuring vaccines, deploying additional health staff, engaging with communities to address hesitancy and misinformation, and building cold chain capacities, among others.”
“We call on all local leaders, developmental partners, civil society organizations, and the wider public to join us in this critical effort to restore the protection of Filipino children against vaccine preventable diseases. Let us work together to ensure that no child is left behind and that every child in the Philippines has access to life-saving vaccines,” said WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rui Paulo De Jesus.
“Our appeal to families: your children’s health is too precious to leave to chance. Vaccines are free, safe, and effective in keeping them healthy. By keeping up to date with vaccines, you are giving your children a shot at a brighter future,” he added.