DOH brings life-saving vaccines to Caraga learners
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Schoolchildren in government and participating private schools across Caraga will have better access to vaccines against preventable diseases as the Department of Health (DOH) intensifies its School-Based Immunization Program from October to December this year.
The initiative supports the national government’s commitment to protecting children’s health, strengthening preventive healthcare, and ensuring learners can participate in face-to-face classes in a safer and healthier environment, consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration’s priorities on public health and human capital development.
Doctor Karen Mae C. Durac, medical officer IV of DOH Caraga, said the annual program targets eligible learners in Grades 1, 4, 5, and 7, with vaccination based on applicable DOH guidelines and parental consent.
Speaking during the Kapihan sa PIA at SM City Butuan on Oct. 15, Durac explained that the program was temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now being strengthened to improve immunization coverage and protect children as they return to classroom learning.
The DOH aims to achieve 95% immunization coverage to help build community protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Sharon S. Coja, nurse V and focal person of the National Immunization Program of DOH Caraga, said trained medical personnel will administer the vaccines to ensure the proper implementation of the program.
Coja added that vaccines are monitored to maintain their quality and potency throughout the immunization process. Vaccination activities in identified schools will be conducted from Monday to Friday, with administration scheduled until 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, Doctor Camille Antonette U. Secote, a general pediatrician at Allied Care Experts Medical Center-Butuan and Cabadbaran Diagnostics Center Medical Clinic, urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children are well before vaccination and monitor them afterward.
She said common reactions may include mild fever lasting one to two days, pain or swelling at the injection site, and rashes. Parents should inform healthcare professionals of their children’s health conditions and seek medical guidance if they have concerns about possible reactions.
Parents and guardians are urged to coordinate with their children’s schools to confirm vaccination schedules, check their children’s eligibility, and complete the required consent forms before the scheduled vaccination. They should also inform school health personnel of any existing illness, allergies, previous vaccine reactions, or other health concerns that may affect their children’s vaccination.
After vaccination, parents should observe their children for possible reactions, follow the advice of healthcare personnel, and seek prompt medical attention if their children experience severe or unusual symptoms. They are also encouraged to keep vaccination records and follow any recommended monitoring instructions.
Through the program, DOH Caraga aims to expand access to preventive healthcare, increase immunization coverage, and help protect schoolchildren and their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)
