DoH, DepEd start immunization drive for 21K children in Aklan

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Grade 1 and Grade 7 students in public schools in Aklan will benefit in the nationwide school-based immunization program this August.
 

Bella Villaruel, Nurse II of Provincial Health Office (PHO), said the program targets to immunize school children and  adolescents enrolled and who have parental consents.

                                  PHOTO PHO-AKLAN/DR. CORNELIO CUACHON JR

PHO, trained rural health workers and health providers in Aklan kicked off the month-long immunization program in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), local government units, parents-teachers associations and private sector/professional organization last August 3.

The government program helps ensure the prevention of morbidity and mortality of school age children due to vaccine-preventable diseases. 

Target for the mass vaccination program “Bakunang Tuloy-Tuloy para sa Malusog na Batang Akeanon" are 12,203 grade 1 and 9,192 grade 7 students in the province of Aklan. 

Two years ago, the Department of Health (DoH) piloted the school-based immunization program through the provision of Measles Rubella and Tetanus Diphtheria vaccines to Grade 7-10 students in public secondary schools. 

This year, all male and female students enrolled in Grade 1 and Grade 7 will be administered with measles-containing vaccine (MCV), Tetanus diphtheria (Td) and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR).

At the start of school year, students were screened for their measles vaccination history and they are vaccinated if evidences show either zero or only 1 dose to ensure that these students received at least 2 MCV by school entry.

Immunization sessions are conducted after recess to ensure that the children have taken their snacks or food to roll-out fainting secondary to hypoglycemia. 

According to DoH, the vaccines are safe, effective and used worldwide and are approved by the World Health Organization.