CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — To protect public health and support community well-being, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10 supports the 1st Northern Mindanao Immunization Summit.
Spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH)-10, the summit aims to address the importance of immunization in public health and achieve several key objectives, such as strengthening the immunization system across Northern Mindanao, enhancing coordination among stakeholders, and developing strategies to increase vaccination coverage.
DILG-10 Assistant Regional Director Yvette Tolentino-Sunga affirmed that the DILG is dedicated to boosting regional immunization rates through collaboration among national agencies, local government units, and communities.
“Ang role sa DILG mao ang pagsuporta ug pag iya sa local government units sa epektibong pagpatuman ug pagtaguyod sa mga inisyatibo bahin sa kalusugan,” she said.
(The role of DILG is to support and guide the local government units (LGUs) to effectively execute and champion health initiatives.)
Improved FIC compliance
Aligned with its dedication to supporting the DOH’s immunization goals, the Department has outlined specific actions. These include enhancing coordination by facilitating communication between the DOH, LGUs, and community stakeholders to strengthen the delivery and reach of immunization services; promoting awareness by supporting initiatives in immunization programs; and aiding the DOH in monitoring the LGUs’ implementation of immunization programs.
Recent data from the 2022 DOH report highlighted that only 3 out of 98 LGUs in Northern Mindanao met the required Fully-Immunized Child (FIC) coverage standards, a key component of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) under the Health Compliance and Responsiveness indicator. Despite this shortfall, ARD Sunga emphasized the department’s resolve to enhance these figures.
“We are dedicated to increasing the number of compliant LGUs in our region, ensuring that they not only meet but surpass the required standards,” she added.
The event brought together local government units (LGUs), health officials, medical professionals, and community leaders to share best practices, discuss challenges, and formulate action plans to improve immunization rates. (DILG-10/PIA-10)
