The three-month catch-up vaccination drive against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) for children kicked off during the celebration of World Immunization Week.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III said during the ceremonial vaccination in SM City Masinag that the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a drop in the number of routine vaccinations among infants.
“Ang inyong DOH ay maglulunsad ng isang malawakang catch-up vaccination drive sa buong bansa upang mabakunahan ang halos 1.1 million na mga bata na hindi nakumpleto ang kanilang routine immunization,” he said.
He said that the “Chikiting Bakunation Days” are both for the under-vaccinated and unvaccinated.
Vaccinations will happen every last Thursday and Friday of the month from April to June this year.
The shots to be given are the pentavalent vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, and haemophilus influenzae type B; the oral polio vaccine (OPV); and the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV).
“Layunin ng selebrasyon na ito ay iparating sa bawat Juan at Juana ang kahalagahan ng bakuna sa pagpapanatili ng isang malusog at mahabang buhay,” Duque said. — Ronald Espartinez