Ben Madilynn
The City Health Office (CHO) urges parents of children who have not yet received the Pentavalent vaccine to take advantage of the vaccine services available at healthcare centers.
Dr. Julinda Acosta, chief of the CHO technical division, announced during the ISpeak media forum on Thursday, October 3, 2024, that 24,367 vials of the Pentavalent vaccine from the Department of Health (DOH) have arrived, allowing them to administer the vaccine to children who missed their doses.
“Ilang bata nga wala pa natagaan ug penta they can visit the health centers maybe next week kasi karun we received the vaccines just last September 27 from DOH (Parents whose children have not yet received the Pentavalent vaccine can visit the health centers starting next week, as we just received the vaccines from the DOH on September 27),” she said.
She added that distribution of the vaccines began on Monday, with district offices and barangay health stations receiving their supplies. Healthcare workers have been instructed to conduct catch-up immunizations, especially for children who missed their scheduled doses.
The CHO also expectes another bulk delivery of Pentavalent vaccines from the DOH to supplement the first batch.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pentavalent vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hib, and hepatitis B, significantly reducing health risks for vaccinated children.
Previously, Acosta disclosed on September 18 that the city had been waiting for vaccine deliveries from the DOH due to a shortage that began in June 2024. She noted that this shortage is not only affecting the Philippines but is a global issue. As a result, the number of children receiving the Pentavalent vaccine has decreased.
CHO data shows that among the eligible population of children aged zero to 11 months, only 12,092 (32.7 percent) have received the first dose of the Pentavalent vaccine. The city’s overall immunization rate has steadily dropped, from 62.9 percent in 2022 to 65.4 percent in 2023, and it stands at just 28 percent as of September 2024. RGP
