Bakuna-Eskwela launching set in San Fernando today

CEBU, Philippines — After its national launch, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) will have its regional launch of the Bakuna Eskwela in San Fernando today, October 14.

Representatives from both national government agencies are expected to attend the revival outing of the said program.

Earlier, DOH and DepEd re-launched the school-based immunization (SBI) program known as Bakuna Eskwela, to protect students from life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).

Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa led the kickoff event of Bakuna Eskwela last Monday at the Dr. Albert Elementary School in Manila.

This school-based immunization program began in 2015 and saw successful reduction of outbreaks of VPDs among schoolchildren. The rollout is expected to take place from October to November 2024, after a four-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our goal is to create a safe environment and ensure health and well-being of every Filipino child. Ngayong Oktubre at Nobyembre, we will unite and campaign together with the Department of Education to save our children from these Vaccine Preventable Diseases,”  Herbosa said during the launch last week.

Focused on the vaccination programs are measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

Such an effort marks a significant shift as the program moves back from community-based immunizations to its original school-based setup, following the resumption of in-person classes.

DOH said that from January 1 to September 14, 2024, they have recorded 3,356 cases of measles and rubella with 11 deaths; 215 cases of diphtheria with 25 deaths; and 81 cases of neonatal tetanus with 44 deaths.

DOH also noted around 7,897 women diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 4,052 died from the disease annually when all of these could have been prevented through safe and effective vaccination.

Angara thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his support to the school-based vaccination program.

The national government allocated P853 million for the Bakuna Eskwela vaccination program with the aim of immunize at least 3.8 million public school students enrolled in Grades 1 and 7 with MR and Td vaccines, and another 973,930 female Grade 4 students in selected public schools for the HPV vaccine that protects against cervical cancer.

“Sa bakuna, we can ensure our learners stay in school and don’t miss valuable learning opportunities. As EDCOM’s studies show, some schools lost as much as 53 days of instruction in a single school year due to various health-related issues,” Angara said during the launch.

Angara also stressed that education is a shared responsibility.

“Education is a shared responsibility. Lahat tayo ay may responsibilidad sa ating mga kabataan, the National Government, the Local Government Units, schools, must come together to realize this initiative’s potentials. We must protect our children today to ensure our country’s healthy and bright future. Sa Bagong Pilipinas, walang maiiwan na bata, malusog, magaling, matalino,” Angara added. –/FPL (FREEMAN)