ZAMBOANGA CITY – The City Health Office, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd), officially launched the Bakuna Eskwela school-based immunization program here on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Baliwasan Central School.
Running from Oct. 1 to 31, Bakuna Eskwela will be implemented in all public elementary schools, targeting pupils in Grades 1, 4, and 7.
They will be immunized against Measles, Rubella (MR), and Tetanus-Diphtheria.
Female Grade 4 students will be immunized against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Mayor Khymer Olaso led the kickoff ceremony alongside DOH-9 OIC Assistant Regional Director Dr. Augusto Manolo G. Alpichi and City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite.
Olaso emphasized the importance of protecting the health and future of young learners, expressing full support to the revival of the SBI program.
Miravite explained the critical role of vaccination as one of the most effective strategies to prevent serious childhood diseases.
She stressed the need for the program’s success and its significance in improving access to essential health services for students in the different schools.