SAN JOSE, Antique – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is reaching out to parents who have yet to give consent for their children’s vaccination due to fear or religious considerations.
“We started the month-long school-based immunization last Aug. 1 and there are still refusals,” said IPHO information officer Irene Dulduco on Tuesday.
This year’s school-based immunization targets pupils in 480 public schools in Antique.
Grade 1 and Grade 7 pupils will be inoculated with vaccines for measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.
Meanwhile, Grade 4 and Grade 5 female pupils will be administered with the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine – first dose and second dose, respectively.
“As of Aug. 9, we have already covered 107 public schools,” Dulduco said.
A total of 1,691 Grade 1 and 2,263 Grade 7 pupils were administered with the measles and rubella vaccines while 2,288 Grade 1 and 2,264 Grade 7 pupils were injected with the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines, according to the IPHO.
“There were 108 Grade 1 pupils whose parents did not give their consent and 29 parents of Grade 7 who refused,” Dulduco said.
The HPV vaccine – which prevents cervical cancer – is for 1,331 Grade 4 and 4,882 Grade 5 female pupils.
Of these, only 773 Grade 4 pupils and 464 Grade 5 pupils had been administered with the vaccine.
The IPHO said the vaccines in the school-based immunization program do not include the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, which appears to draw fear among parents. (With PNA/PN)
