DOH targets 95% of every 2 million children fully-vaccinated

The Department of Health (DOH) aims to have 95% of every 2 million Filipino children fully vaccinated yearly.

During the post-SONA Discussion on Tuesday, DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa shared that vaccinations were one of the most important public health programs.

The DOH intends to seek the help of local government units to achieve this target.

“Worth it na maprevent yung vaccine-preventable illness kasi diyan namamatay yung ating mga kabataan pag di sila nabakunahan… Ang target niyan kada taon, dapat 95% ng about 2 million children makukumpleto yung about 16 vaccines [before 2 years old],” he shared.

(It is worth it to prevent vaccine-preventable illness because it is what kills our children if they are unvaccinated… The target yearly is that 95% of about 2 million children has to complete about 16 vaccines [before 2 years old].)

“Ang plano namin dito, tulong-tulong ito. Binibili ng pamahalaan, ng national government ang iba’t-ibang klaseng bakuna. So ang kailangan namin tulong dito is the help of the local government and vaccine teams,” he added.

(Our plan here is to help each other. The government buys different types of vaccines. Who we need help from is the local government and vaccine teams.)

Complete and speedy vaccination for children were among President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s calls for the health department during his 4th State of the Nation Address on Monday.

Herbosa said the DOH has planned several programs such as school aid vaccinations, vaccine catch-ups and HPV vaccine drives to help complete vaccination targets.

“The government will pay for this sa lahat ng eskwelahan, babakunahan lahat ng mga bata. So kailangan namin ng tulong, mga volunteers, even the rotary clubs. This vaccination will happen with the help of local government, civil society, pati military and private sector para lahat ng bata kailangan mabakunahan,” he said.

(The government will pay for this in all schools, so we can vaccinate all the children. We need help from volunteers, even rotary clubs. This vaccination will happen with the help of local government, civil society, even military and private sector so all of the children can be vaccinated.)

During the discussion, Herbosa also debunked claims that there were many individuals who were against vaccinations in the country.

“Nagpa-survey kami at nakita namin 85% of mothers gustong mabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak… Madami conspiracy theory kung ano daw nilalagay sa bakuna. Hindi po totoo yan,” he said.

(We ran a survey and found that 85% of mothers want their children vaccinated… There are a lot of who have conspiracy theories that many things are being put into vaccines. That’s not true.)

“Akala lang natin maingay sa social media but most mothers gusto nilang mabakunahan ang mga anak nila. So our job is to buy the vaccines, make sure nasa LGU siya at make sure pagpupunta sa health center may bakuna yung ating mga Kabataan,” he continued.

(We just think they are loud on social media, but most mothers want their children vaccinated. Our job is to buy the vaccines, make sure that the LGU has them, and make sure that our youth will be able to get them when they go to health centers.)

Meanwhile, Herbosa noted that booster vaccines for school-age children and further vaccines for senior citizens are also part of the National Immunization Program.

“Whole of society [approach] ito… Kailangan talaga ng coordination with the local health system, with the local mayors, with the local city health officer, municipal health officer at pati yung civil society,” Herbosa said.

(This is a whole of society [approach]… We really need coordination with the local health system, with the local mayors, with the local city health officer, municipal health officer, and even civil society.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News