Ben Madilynn
AFTER being absent since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the School-Based Immunization (SBI) program of the Department of Health (DOH) is set to make a comeback on Monday, October 5, 2024.
In an advisory, the DOH announced the relaunch of the month-long SBI at the Dr. A Albert Elementary School in Sampaloc, Manila.
“School learners are at high risk for Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs). Thus, there is a need to provide an opportunity for vaccinating them through the continuation of SBI at the school setting,” said the DOH.
Under the program, students in Grades 1 and 7 shall be eligible to receive vaccines for measles-rubella (MR) and tetanus-diphtheria (TD).
On the other hand, Grade 4 girls shall be qualified to receive vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which helps prevent cervical cancer.
“All school children in Grade 1 and Grade 7 shall be vaccinated with MR-TD vaccines, while all Grade 4 female school children shall be vaccinated with HPV in selected public schools nationwide,” said the DOH.
Institutionalized in 2015, the SBI used to be conducted every August nationwide in public schools until the Covid-19 pandemic.
The SBI, then, shifted from school-based to community-based due to the suspension of in-person classes in schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Subsequently, educational institutions gradually opened with the conclusion of the global health crisis.
The DOH has since issued Department Memorandum No 2024-250 or the “Interim Guidelines on the Resumption of School-Based Immunization (SBI) after the Covid-19 Pandemic)”.
The health department, then, urged parents to give their consent for the provision of safe, effective, and free vaccines to their children.
“Do not forget to sign the consent form before the day of vaccination,” said the DOH. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
