(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 24 April 2024) Easterlies affecting the country. Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies/Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—œπ—‘π—— 𝗔𝗑𝗗 π—–π—’π—”π—¦π—§π—”π—Ÿ π—ͺπ—”π—§π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Light to moderate winds coming from East to Southeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Thursday, May 26, 2022

DOH Caraga to vax 362k infants in 'catch-up' immunization drive

BUTUAN CITY -- The Department of Health (DOH) Caraga announced on Thursday, May 26, that it aims to vaccinate more than 326,000 infants during the “Chikiting Bakunation Days Campaign”, a national catch-up immunization drive for infants ages 0-23 months against vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).

DOH Caraga is aiming to vaccinate 95% of its target, or 362,777 infants, during the National Vaccination Days for Catch-up Immunization (NVD-CI), which will be conducted on the last Thursday and Friday of May and June 2022.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the country more than two years ago, routine immunization for VPDs such as hepatitis, pneumonia, measles, meningitis, mumps, tuberculosis, and polio, among children of the said ages was disrupted, and immunization coverage has dwindled since then, said Dr. Cesar Cassion, regional director of DOH Caraga.

“Last year, 2021, naa lang ta 73% of our target sa atong fully-immunized children. Previous to that, adtong 2020, naa lang ta sa 75% (In 2021, we only achieved 73% of our target for our fully-immunized children. In 2020, we only reached 75%),” the health official said.

“We’re not only targeting kadtong wala mabakunahi, but of course, kinahanglan pud nato kadtong mga bata nga dili kumpleto ang ilang bakuna because kung dili makumpleto ilang bakuna, then they will not have  full protection (We’re targeting not only those who have not been vaccinated, but of course, even children whose vaccines are not yet complete because if their vaccines are not complete, then they will not have full protection),” said Cassion.

Cassion
Children are considered fully immunized if they have completed all of their vaccines before they turn one year old.

DOH Caraga is implementing strategies akin to those implemented during the COVID-19 vaccination, which involves teaming up with the local government units to mobilize more health teams in addition to those deployed by DOH, to reach even the most remote areas in the region.

“We want to reach every child, na dapat wala’y mabiyaan na bata, especially sa mga remote or hard-to-reach areas (We want to reach every child so that no child will be left behind, especially those in remote or hard-to-reach areas),” the regional director said.

Cassion urged parents to have their children, especially those less than a year old and those who are yet to complete their vaccines, to take advantage of the intensified immunization drive of the government.

“Kinahanglan mabakunahan gyud nato ang mga bata para malikayan nato kadtung mga sakit na makit-an nato sa mga bata. These are vaccine-preventable, naa ta’y available na mga vaccines. These are proven safe and effective (We need to vaccinate our children for them to avoid contracting childhood diseases. These are vaccine-preventable; we have vaccines available for these. These are proven safe and effective),” he added. (DMNR/PIA-Caraga)

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