DOH eyes 95% fully immunized children vs. vaccine-preventable diseases

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said it is targeting to completely immunize 95% of Filipino children against vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, measles, and rubella.

During the 2023 Philippine Immunization Summit, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said that every child needs to be vaccinated by one dose of bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis; three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV); three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP), Hib, and Hepatitis B vaccine; and two doses of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine.

Herbosa cited data from the National Immunization Coverage 2022, saying the Philippines remained among the top five countries with the most number of zero-dose children globally and one of the greatest contributors to the number of zero-dose children in East Asia and the Pacific Region.

“Our immunization rates remained low. This has been true over the years since 2013… Our fully immunized child had been below 80% yearly and our fully immunized child target of 95% is a far-off target,” he said.

“I am saddened to know that for last year, we were unable to achieve the national fully immunized child target and there was only a 59.9% accomplishment,” he added.

Herbosa also noted that none of the regions were able to achieve the 95% target last year—-with the highest accomplishment of an area only at 72.1%, and the lowest being at 46.2%.

According to the DOH, the number of zero-dose or unvaccinated children between 2021 and 2022 had been reduced from around 1 million to 637,000.

It, however, admitted more work needs to be done to reach the 95% target coverage for those born starting 2022, including those who were not immunized in the previous years.

Participants of the 2023 Philippine Immunization Summit discussed needed reforms in immunization such as amending the Immunization Law, increasing investments in strengthening primary health care as a key platform for immunization services, strengthening the supply chain, and intensifying communication activities, among others. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News