CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — The Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CVCHD) has resumed its school-based immunization program for vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) through the Bakuna Eskwela Campaign.
The campaign was launched on Oct. 14, 2024, in San Fernando, Cebu.
DOH-7 medical officer III and Family Section head, Dr. Faith Ronolo, disclosed during the Kapihan forum on Oct. 16 that the month-long vaccination campaign focuses on administering crucial vaccines against VPDs, such as measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Ronolo said they administer the Measles Rubella (MR) and Tetanus-Diptheria (TD) vaccines for Grades 1 and 7 pupils, while the HPV vaccines are for Grade 4 female pupils aged 9-14 years old.
“We give HPV vaccines sa mga babaye lang kay sila man ang atong gipanalipdan batok sa HPV. Kaning mga upat nga diseases mao ni siya ang mga VPDs nga pwede nato malikayan nga mga sakit kung magpabakuna,” she explained.
(We give the HPV vaccines to girls only, as they are the ones we protect against HPV. These four diseases are the VPDs we can prevent through vaccination.)
Ronolo noted that although the Bakuna Eskwela Campaign was temporarily stopped due to the pandemic in 2020, nurses, midwives, and the local rural health units (RHUs) continued to administer the scheduled vaccines to babies and children.
“Our nurses, midwives, and the RHUs have continued to administer vaccination in the health centers. Last 2023, we also did supplemental immunization activities for MR and Polio,” she added.
The need for “booster shots” for students in Grades 1 to 7 is due to their bodies entering developmental stages.
“Grade 1 students are exposed to sickness wherein basin aduna’y sakit ilang mga kaduwa (their playmates may have the disease). Then for Grade 7, it is to prepare their bodies also as they enter puberty,” said Ronolo.
The DOH official assured the public that the vaccines are safe, effective, and free of charge.
“Kini nga mga vaccines kay luwas, epiktebo, libre, ug maayo sa atong mga bata. So hinaot unta nga ang mga ginikanan mo grab ani nga opportunity and pabakunahan na nato atong mga bata nga wala pa na pabakunahan,” she said.
(These vaccines are safe, effective, free, and beneficial for our children. So we hope parents will take this opportunity and have their children vaccinated if they haven’t been vaccinated yet.)
She also encouraged students to bring their baby books or vaccination cards to identify children with zero doses of vaccines.
Consent forms will be provided to parents prior to the vaccination.
The School-Based Immunization Program, which began in 2015, has successfully reduced outbreaks of VPDs among school children. (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)
