Anti-pneumonia campaign starts in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - In order to fight the leading cause of death for children five years old and below, the Department of Health yesterday kicked off its national anti-pneumonia campaign in Cebu.

Cebu, along with the rest of the Central Visayas region, was chosen as the pilot area for the pneumonia prevention drive.

Also initially experiencing the vaccination program is Eastern Visayas, the most affected area when super typhoon Yolanda hit, just like Cebu.

Around 400,000 children from both regions are identified as recipients of the three-dose pneumonia immunization program.

Personally administering the ceremonial immunization of 20 babies inside Inayawan covered court was DOH Undersecretary for Women, Children and Family Health Cluster Dr. Janette Garin.

“Importante gyud kaayo (vaccine) kay daghang one to five-year-old namatay nga babies due to pneumonia. Mao na diha pirmi masakit ug maospital ang mga bata. We have pneumonia and we have diarrhea. Of course, diarrhea is a multi-dimensional approach. But pneumonia man gud bisan unsaon nimo kung way bakuna ang baby, wa man siya’y protection,” the Cebuano-speaking health undersecretary explained.

The “Laban Pneumonia” kick-off campaign launch was done in Cebu because of the “political will” of the local government unit to combat health concerns and the high mortality and morbidity rate here in terms of pneumonia, said Garin.

Partnering with DOH by supplying the vaccines is giant pharmaceutical firm Pfzer, which pledged to donate 75 vaccine refrigerators for safekeeping of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV).

“Lisud man gud nga mamakuna ta unya wa tay vaccine ref. Di ni siya ordinary nga ref. Medyo special type ni siya nga molutaw kung naay baha. Regulated siya kaayo. Di siya pwede sa mga pagkaon. These refrigerators are all coming from Belgium, 75 of that will be donated by Pfzer,” Garin said.

The PCV vaccine will be given for free along with other free nationwide immunization program as soon after the pilot vaccination.

Each PCV vaccine shot would cost parents around P3,000 to P5,000 from private health practitioners.

DOH bought each dose for P700 bidding price, costing the government around P700 million for the entire program.  (FREEMAN)