“’Yung ang importante dito sa ‘yung topic ni Abdullah (Health Undersecretary Dumama) is ‘yung ano, ‘yung vaccination ng ‘yung two years pababa — bata, dapat pabakuna na ninyo,” Duterte said during his regular Talk to the People program on May 23.
Duterte said the vaccine will add more protection to children two years old and below against existing diseases.
The President’s call came after Health Undersecretary Dr. Abdullah Dumama reported the launching of the “Chikiting Bakunation Day” slated on May 26 to 27, which aims to immunize children two years old and below.
Dumama said the shots that will be given here are BCG vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Pentavalent vaccine, Oral Polio vaccine, Inactivated Polio vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine, and Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine.
“Ang goal po natin dito ay mabakunahan ang at least 80 percent of the remaining approximately 1.1 million infants who missed their routine immunization last 2021,” Dumama said.
Last month, the Department of Health conducted the vaccination drive in 36 priority provinces, Dumama said, noting more than 10,000 children have not completed their shots. This month’s immunization will be done throughout the country.
“Nasubok na po natin ng apat na dekada ang pagiging ligtas at epektibo ng ating mga bakuna. Dumaan na po ito sa masusing pagsusuri ng WHO at ng ating Food and Drug Administration, at pumasa naman po ito sa ating itinatalagang — itinalagang standards o pamantayan,” he said.
“At higit sa lahat po, mahal na Pangulo, dapat samantalahin po ng lahat ng mga kababayan natin ito dahil ito po ay libre, ” Dumama added.
Photo:Presidential Communications