Iloilo City (CNN Philippines) — Around 300,000 students from Grade 1 and Grade 7 will benefit from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6’s school-based immunization campaign.
Dr. Renilyn Reyes, medical specialist II for DOH Region 6, said they are targeting more than 300,000 beneficiaries in their month-long activity.
The campaign started on August 3, during which the DOH gave vaccines for measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.
DOH Region 6 aims to immunize 337,744 pupils — 189,496 in Grade 1 and 148,249 in Grade 7 students
Grade 1 pupils are given measles-containing vaccines (MCV) and tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccines, while Grade 7 students are given measles-rubella vaccines and Td vaccines.
In addition, the DOH’s August immunization campaign – which is a follow-up to an earlier MCV immunization of children under 5 years old (9 to 59 months) – is in partnership with the Department of Education.
The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has also started the campaign in 43 towns and the component city of Passi, Iloilo.
PHO chief Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado said they are hoping to achieve 100% immunization in all schools.
The pupils and students, however, should first secure the consent of their parents before availing themselves of the immunization which is free to all.
“Municipal health workers are doing the vaccination with the help of nurses deployed under the Nurses Deployment Program of the DOH,” said Trabado.
