QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – The local government of Valenzuela is intensifying the rollout of the Vaccination at the Parks (VCVaxPlus) Project aimed at providing free anti-pneumonia vaccines among the city’s senior citizens.
The VCVaxPlus is an initiative geared towards improving the access of the elderly population to free immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), particularly pneumonia, as one of the leading respiratory diseases that pose a significant risk on the health of senior citizens.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2023 revealed that pneumonia ranked fifth among the top 20 leading causes of death in the country next to diabetes and cerebrovascular diseases. A sum of 32,113 deaths were attributed to pneumonia from January to November 2023.
“This vaccination drive attests to the city’s commitment to providing inclusive, quality healthcare for every member of the Pamilyang Valenzuelano, and their welfare is the priority of the city government,” said the Valenzuela local government.
Meanwhile, the pneumococcal vaccination sites of the local government were placed at public parks and recreational areas to primarily utilize the city’s wide array of green open spaces in support of the health-enabling programs for its residents.
To avail of the free pneumonia vaccines, senior citizens aged 60 years old and above must present their Office of the Senior Citizens Affair (OSCA) identification card. Those with known comorbidities should also present a medical clearance.
Senior citizens will only be eligible to receive the immunization if they are asymptomatic or show no symptoms of cough, colds, fever, sore throat, and other flu-like symptoms. They should also not be vaccinated with other vaccines within the last 14 days or 2 weeks and have not received pneumococcal vaccine within the last 5 years.
Those who are currently taking antibacterials or steroids, on the other hand, will likewise not be allowed to receive the anti-pneumonia vaccine.
A first-come, first-served policy will be observed for the rollout of the vaccine due to its limited supply.
To date, a total of 3,027 Valenzuela senior citizens have already availed of the immunization since the implementation of VCVaxPlus in 2024. Of these number, 1145 were male while 1882 were female beneficiaries.
For the month of June, the schedule of the VCVax Plus rollout is as follows:
June 3 to 7: People’s Park
June 10 to 11 and 13 to 14: Family Park
June 17 to 21: Polo Park
June 24 to 28: People’s Park
The Vaccination at the Parks is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
