Health offices to take on health program info campaigns

CEBU, Philippines — With the Dengvaxia issue casting doubt on the other government health programs, both regional and provincial health agencies are now looking to intensify awareness on public health programs.

Provincial Health Office (PHO) head Dr. Rene Catan said that while information dissemination is not a direct mandate of their office, such measures should also not be neglected.

“The PHO is not tasked to get this information out but we need this information out,” he said.

This he said after reports that some parents have refused to get their children vaccinated at the health centers for fear that the vaccines may pose danger to their young ones after hearing stories about Dengvaxia.

Department of Health-7 Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas added that the public need not be afraid of the other vaccination programs like measles and pentavalent vaccines since these have been proven and tested for decades already.

Under the Philippine Expanded Program on Immunization, a baby can avail of free vaccination program at public health centers. Within the first 24 hours, Hepatitis B vaccine and BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) vaccine to counter tuberculosis are injected.

When the baby is at least one month and a half, three doses of pentavalent vaccine are given at three different times with one-month intervals. There are also oral and injectable polio, pneumococcal, and measles vaccines. All are free but many are not availed, according to Bernadas.

Even before the issue on Dengvaxia came, DOH has been facing problems on the compliance to immunization. Now, addressing the problem has become more challenging for them but Bernadas assured they will intensify their efforts to bring public health programs into the light.

He added that they have plans to institutionalize service delivery networks to help improve the perception of the public of DOH.

As for the PHO, Catan shared that their office is strong on their educational approach through including the discussion of all their health programs in their caravans. He added that the barangay health workers have been trained and equipped with the knowledge of the current government programs which the constituents can ask to avail of.

Meanwhile, health workers also continue to monitor the children injected with Dengvaxia. At present, Catan said that their count has reached 162,000 children. (FREEMAN)