CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Continuously done all throughout the year, the Department of Health (DOH)-10 emphasized that the school-based immunization program, which started in October, is to prevent outbreaks.
“As much as possible, lang atong goal gyud is no outbreaks man gyud mao man gyud na atong goal wala na gyud dapat outbreaks (As much as possible, our goal is no outbreaks, our goal is no outbreaks),” said Dr. Germaine Mariz Labadan, medical officer of the DOH-10 Family Health Cluster, during the Talakayan sa PIA: Konsultayo Series media forum at SM CDO City Uptown.
The DOH actively monitors potential measles outbreaks in the region through rigorous surveillance, emphasizing that immunization is the only way to prevent such outbreaks.
Furthermore, the immunization program, in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) and local government units (LGUs), strives to safeguard school-aged children from various illnesses that vaccination can prevent.
The measles vaccine protects against the measles virus, which can cause “tipdas,” the rubella vaccine protects against the German measles, a similar “tipdas” infection, and the tetanus vaccine protects against the bacteria that can cause tetanus.
Labadan explained that this tetanus bacteria targets the nervous system, which can cause hardening of the body. Then the diphtheria is also caused by a bacterial infection.
“Naa na gyud na siya sa ato-ang routine immunization schedule. Ang kaning sa atong school-based is ihatag nato siya as supplemental na mga doses (This is already on our routine immunization schedule. Our school-based is that we give as supplemental doses),” the doctor shared.
Experts only treat measles based on symptoms, as there is no specific medication for the disease.
Despite the fact that the severity of a measles infection depends on an individual’s immunity, DOH-10 asserts that vaccination can effectively prevent measles infection.
DOH-10 guarantees the effectiveness and safety of their vaccines. “So far, DOH-10 has not received any report on adverse events following immunization,” Sherace Brigoli, National Immunization Program coordinator of DOH-10, said.
This year, Brigoli revealed that the school-based immunization program in northern Mindanao aims to immunize 95,817 Grade 1 students against Measles Rubella and Tetanus Diphtheria, 49, 944 students against the human papillomavirus vaccine, and 101,832 students against Measles Rubella. (JMOR/PIA-10)
