The Department of Health (DOH) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) (DOH-CAR) on Wednesday urged parents to have their infants and children fully vaccinated against measles, polio, tuberculosis and other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) after the region was flagged for its low vaccination rate due to missed inoculation schedules following the pandemic lockdown.

“Sana po dalhin na nila at pabakunahan ang mga bata kung na-miss nila ang mga schedule nila dahil sa mga nakaraang Covid lockdown (we hope that they bring their children for vaccination if they missed their shots due to the Covid lockdown),” said Geeny Anne Austria, Nurse IV at the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the DOH-CAR, in a phone interview.

The document provided to the Philippine News Agency showed that as of November 2022, the region recorded a 61.16 percent vaccination rate for measles-containing vaccine for children from zero to 12 months.

There are 38,179 target-eligible children for MCV1 but only 21,514 were vaccinated.

For those aged 12 to 15 years old, only 20,711 or 54.25 percent of the total were vaccinated against measles.

Austria also said that based on the record, there are only 19,295 children, or 50.54 percent, who are considered “fully immunized, while only 3.14 percent, or 1,197 children, are classified as “completely immunized.”

Fully immunized children are infants who received one dose of BCG (anti-tuberculosis), three doses each of OPV (oral polio), DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, Tetanus) and Hepatitis B vaccines, as well as one dose of measles vaccine before reaching one year of age.

Meanwhile, completely immunized children are those who received the said vaccines only at 13 to 23 months old, but failed to receive the same before 12 months.

Karen Lonogan, also a Nurse IV at the RESU, reminded the parents that the vaccines are provided free by the government in health facilities located in the barangays, municipalities, and government hospitals.

Special vaccination activities, like the “Bakunahang Bayan,” were also conducted by the DOH to bring the services closer to the target population. Visits to residences to be able to provide the children the required doses were also conducted for those still reeling from Covid stress.

Lonogan likewise assured parents that the vaccines being administered have been proven and tested as to its safety and efficacy in protecting their children.

“Matagal na po ang mga bakunang ibinibigay sa mga VPD, kaya hindi po tayo dapat matakot o mag-alala. Ang dapat po nating isipin ay protection at kapakanan ng ating mga anak kapag hindi sila nabakunahan ng VPD (The vaccines have been here for quite a time, so we have nothing to fear or worry about. What we should think instead is the protection and welfare of our children if they are not vaccinated against VPDs),” Lonogan said. (PNA)