DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa presided over the “2023 Ligtas Lakas” awarding ceremony in Bohol, recognizing outstanding achievements in healthcare and immunization efforts.
The event served as a platform to honor and acknowledge the exceptional efforts of the Centers for Health Development, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Ministry of Health, and various local government units in their contributions to the nationwide implementation of Covid-19 vaccination, Measles Rubella Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccines Supplemental Immunization (MROPVSIA) Activity, and other key campaigns spearheaded by the DOH.
Herbosa stressed the importance of improved vaccination services, increased public demand, identifying vaccine hesitancy reasons, ensuring adequate vaccine availability and supply, and strengthening surveillance and reporting of notifiable diseases during the event.
The DOH chief was joined by key officials, including Field Implementation and Coordination Team (FICT) National Capital Region and South Luzon Undersecretary Nestor F. Santiago, FICT North and Central Luzon Undersecretary Enrique Tayag, Health Systems Development Team (HSDT) Undersecretary Lilibeth David, and Management Services Team Assistant Secretary Leonita Gorgolon, in recognizing outstanding achievements in healthcare and immunization efforts.
"We must return to the fundamentals. I call for collective action to vaccinate every child below one-year-old with one dose of BCG, three doses of OPV, three doses of DPT-HiB-HepB, and two doses of MCV. With unwavering commitment, I implore all regions and local government units to achieve a 95% FIC (fully immunized child coverage) rate by 2024,” Herbosa said.
He pointed out that the protection of every child against vaccine-preventable diseases remains one of the DOH’s main priorities. (Zekinah Elize Espina)