THE CONVERSATIONS around World Immunization Week (WIW) this year are all about inclusivity and accessibility, and this is embodied in the theme “Bakuna sa lahat, kayang-kaya!”
Vaccination efforts from the public health sector led by the Department of Health were focused on “protecting ourselves, our families, and our future from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).” Diseases are an inevitable component of living, but they don’t have to define the way a life is lived.
During a key WIW activity of the Davao City Government last April 30, Dr. Janis Olavides, DOH Davao Family Health Cluster head, said that VPDs like pertussis (whooping cough) have been flagged in the past year among younger age groups who did not receive any vaccination or did not complete their doses.
“We want everyone to be protected because we don’t want diseases to increase,” she said. In response to this, routine immunization efforts have been ramped up; local government units implemented these health activities with guidance and resources from the DOH.
Promoting vaccines results in significant protection. Dr. Olavides mentioned that Davao City’s zero confirmed cases of measles are attributed to vaccination.
Parents can take comfort in knowing that vaccines are safe and effective–as they have always been. Dr. Jo-Anne Jajuri Lobo, Pediatric Infectious Disease Section Head at the Southern Philippines Medical Center, said that diseases will continue to come and the way to combat them is to don a layer of protection through immunization.
“We should keep in mind that fighting diseases isn’t all about taking medicines when you’re sick. It can also be through making vaccination a priority, especially for parents who want to see their children healthy,” she said.
All in this together
The year 2025 is the midpoint in the World Health Organization’s Immunization Agenda 2030, an ambitious, overarching global vision and strategy for vaccines and immunization that covers the decade 2021–2030.
“This year’s WIW not only looks at what immunization does to improve lives today but what immunization can achieve in the coming decades as more children are reached with essential immunizations and new and newer vaccines are developed to cover a broader range of diseases and ages,” Dr. Olavides said.
DOH’s target is simple, and all community efforts are channeled to support the national immunization of 95% Fully Immunized Child and life stage vaccination coverage.
In her WIW lecture, Dr. Lobo provided a detailed picture of what this target looks like. “In order to avoid diseases from spreading in the community, we need 95% measles vaccination coverage and 90% pertussis vaccination coverage,” she said.
She added that “We can find more ways to enjoy life when we are at our best health.”
Since April 16, DOH Davao has been supporting ramped-up vaccination efforts of local government units throughout the region. Apart from the daily and accessible vaccination services in health centers, vaccination pop-ups have been conducted in key areas of all provinces.
DOH is steadfast in its efforts to promote vaccination. “It’s no longer enough to wait for people to come to the clinics or health centers for their scheduled vaccinations. We must actively find ways to go to the communities and make the services available as much as possible,” said DOH Undersecretary of Health and Concurrent Davao Regional Director Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr. during the early activities of WIW.
DOH maintains that just five routine immunization visits to health care providers will afford infants 0-12 months old complete protection against VPDs. School-aged children also significantly reduce the risk of getting infected by measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria (MRTD) viruses when they are vaccinated.
Senior citizens aged 60 years and above can also get themselves vaccinated with flu and pneumococcal vaccines in the health centers to prevent serious complications of influenza and pneumococcal disease. Majority of the mothers and newborns are at risk to acquire Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus if unvaccinated during their pregnancy; it is important that mothers, during pregnancy, receive at least 2-3 Td doses of vaccine, appropriately spaced to prevent maternal and neonatal tetanus which can be fatal to the mother and the baby. (DOH Davao PR)
