Bukidnon roll-out: DOH, DepEd launch school-based immunization

VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Bringing healthcare straight to the grassroots, rural health midwife Jonalyn Jaime Malunes and team members from the Valencia City Health Office traveled a 30-minute ride off the highway to Sinabuagan Integrated School in Barangay Sinabuagan here to vaccinate learners on Thursday.

The visit coincided with the official nationwide launch of the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education’s (DepEd) Bakuna Eskwela or School-Based Immunization (SBI) program.

During the rollout, 80 Grade 1 and 7 learners with parental consent received inoculations for Measles-Rubella (MR) and Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td).

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However, Malunes noted that some students missed the initial jabs because their parents remained hesitant about the safety of the immunization initiative.Before the vaccination, coordinators held an orientation involving the school principal, the barangay health committee chair, and teachers.Meanwhile, vaccinations for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) targeting female Grade 4 students to prevent cervical cancer are slated for next week.  Grade 5 female learners who missed their first dose during Grade 4 are also included.The HPV vaccination focuses primarily on public school girls aged 9 to 14, extending to private schools if surplus supplies remain after public school priorities are met.Venadyl Hera Fuego, City Health Office focal person, said the distributed paperwork functions as a quick health assessment form rather than a waiver or consent release, stressing that no child can be vaccinated without a signed form from a parent or legal guardian to ensure proper notification and approval.

READ: Misinformation fuels low measles-rubella vaccination rates in BoholThe overarching Bakuna Eskwela initiative aims to shield students from vaccine-preventable illnesses by bringing medical services directly into school grounds./coa