The Department of Health in Western Visayas in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) 6 and the local government of Iloilo City launched the school-based immunization in Iloilo Central Elementary School in Iloilo City, Monday.
The ceremonial vaccination of the 20 Grade 1 pupils of the Iloilo Central Elementary School and grade 7 students of the Iloilo City National High School highlighted the event.
Maria Sophia Pulmones, DOH-6 chief of the local health support division said that pupils and students were given free vaccine against measles, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria which could protect them against the said diseases.
This year, DOH-6 is targeting to vaccinate 158,648 grade 1 pupils and 138,841 grade 7 students in the region.
Specifically, here in Iloilo City, 7,055 grade 1 pupils and 5,475 grade 7 students are the target to be vaccinated.
The Iloilo City Health Office here will be deploying 94 vaccinators, 72 reporters, 18 supervisors, and 7 city monitoring health teams to conduct the school-based immunization.
The school-based immunization is only limited to all public schools in the country.
Pulmones said that parents are advised to let their children avail of the free vaccination to assure that their children are protected against measles, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria.
She added that the anti-tetanus vaccine could protect children especially those who are females from maternal and neonatal tetanus.
This month of August is the School-based Immunization Month. This year’s theme is “Bakuna Para sa Kabataan, Proteksyon sa Kinabukasan.”[via CBFerrer, PNA]
