BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - The Department of Health – Cordillera, in partnership with the City Government of Baguio and SM City Baguio,  recently led  the regional launching of the National Vaccination Days for Catch-up Immunization – “Chikiting Bakunation Days” in efforts to  reach out to the children who missed their routinely recommended vaccines.

The target of the catch - up immunization  up to June  are 0 to 23 months old children who missed a dose, doses or series of vaccines that are included in the National Immunization Program.

Vaccines included in the routine National Immunization Program are the BCG (Bacilus Calmette Guarin), MMR (Mumps, Measles Rubella), IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine), OPV (Oral Polio Vaccines), DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus), Hepatitis B and the Pentavalent (protection from five life threatening diseases: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus Hepatitis B and HIb or Haemophilus Influenzae type b).

Reaching out to   children who missed their routinely recommended vaccines aims to protect them from vaccine- preventable diseases and to prevent a possible outbreak of transmissible illnesses such as measles.

Dr. Efren Balanag,  Philippine Pediatric Society Inc. Northern Luzon Chapter president,  pointed out   that the lost opportunity to boost the immune system of the children due to the  COVID 19  pandemic resulted to the rise of children susceptible to transmission of viruses  including vaccine preventable diseases.

With the increase in mobility or merging of people, there is the risk of an outbreak waiting to happen, so there is a need to refocus and reach out to the miss children and it must be a whole – of – society approach not just the health workers, the barangays but by the whole community, Balanag stressed.

The vaccines are effective but it can only provide protection when the children are vaccinated, he added.

DOH – CAR Family Health Cluster Head Dr. Anachris Kilakil calls on parents to support the catch – up vaccination plan as it is very important for the health and safety of their children. She assured that the routinely recommended vaccines are already proven safe and effective over the years.

Data from the DOH – CAR show that out of the target 95 percent Fully Immunized Children in the region, the 2021 accomplishment was only 67.62 percent.  Kalinga is the highest at 84.48%   while Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao Mountain Province and Baguio City are all over 60 but below 70%. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)