Health

Are vaccines safe?, Vaccines are very safe. All vaccines go through rigorous safety testing, including clinical trials, before they are approved for the public. Countries will only register and distribute vaccines that meet rigorous quality and safety standards.  , Are vaccines effective?, Vaccines save lives. Vaccines protect children from many life-threatening and highly contagious diseases. For example, the measles vaccine is estimated to have prevented over 21 million deaths globally between 2000 and 2017.  , Why should I vaccinate my child?, Vaccines help protect children against many diseases that are highly contagious and can cause serious harm or death, especially among infants and children with developing immune systems. A fully immunized child has a better chance in becoming a healthy adult. Every child has the right to good health and be protected from diseases. No child should…, How do vaccines work?, Vaccines help the immune system fight infections more efficiently by triggering immune response to recognize and fight specific diseases without making a person sick. By stimulating the body’s natural defenses, vaccines prepare the body to fight the disease faster and more effectively when the virus or bacteria invades the body in the future.  , What is herd immunity?, When a high proportion of individuals are immune to a disease, the disease cannot be transmitted easily from person to person within the population. This population resistance is called herd immunity and occurs when a sufficient proportion of the population has been immunized. In a community with a very high herd immunity, some individuals who are…, Can my baby get sick from vaccines?, Vaccines are extremely safe and serious side effects are very rare. Almost all sickness or discomfort after vaccination is minor and temporary, such as a soreness at the injection site or mild fever. If you are concerned about your child getting vaccinated, please talk to a health worker. Extensive studies and research show that there is no…, What diseases do vaccines prevent?, Routine vaccines for infants protect them from serious and life-threatening diseases like extrapulmonary tuberculosis, polio, measles, diphtheria, Hepatitis B, pertussis, pneumonia, acute encephalitis and many more. Vaccinating your child today, and making sure that your child completes all the required vaccine doses according to schedule, is the…, Where can I get vaccines for my children?, In the Philippines, routine vaccines for children 0 to 1 year old are given for free in barangay health centers. Booster doses for measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria and vaccine against Human Papilloma Virus- cervical cancer-causing disease are also provided in schools during School Based-Immunization., What is the recommended vaccine schedule? , Here is the routine vaccination schedule for infants in the Philippines as of 1 December 2022:   At birth 6 months 10 months 14 months 9 months 1 year BCG ✓           Hepatitis B ✓           Pentavalent   ✓ ✓ ✓     Oral polio   ✓ ✓ ✓     PCV   ✓ ✓ ✓     Inactivated polio       ✓ ✓   MMR         ✓ ✓ To complete a child’s protection, completing the…, Can I delay the vaccination schedule?, One of the best ways you can protect your child is to follow the recommended vaccine schedule set by the Department of Health. Whenever you delay a vaccine dose, you are increasing your child’s vulnerability to disease. Complete vaccination according to schedule is the most effective way to protect children from diseases. If your child’s…, Where can I get more information about vaccines?, Make sure to get your vaccine- and immunization-related information from credible sources such as health workers, DOH, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. If you have any questions, talk to a health worker in a barangay health center. Information on this page is as of 5 December 2022.

Jamila could see them from afar. The hazy figure of PPE-clad nurses toting vaccine carriers coming over the hill meant only one thing for the first-time mother—her baby Jonaila was going to get vaccinated. Unlike most towns in the Philippines where patients go to the clinics, government nurses in Marantao, Lanao del Sur, go from house to house to…, Rise in zero dose children, Jamila and Jonaila’s case reflects a disturbing increase in the number of unimmunized children, among those born during the COVID pandemic. According to UNICEF Immunization Officer Dr. Amador Catacutan, these children are particularly at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases like polio and measles. “As they would be under 2 years old, their immune…, 2019 outbreaks, BARMM had already been lagging in vaccination rates even prior to the pandemic. The situation came to a head in 2019, when the province of Lanao Del Sur saw outbreaks of both polio and measles—two severe yet easily preventable diseases covered under the seven vaccines of the routine National Immunization Program for children. Dr. Alinader Minalang…, Post-outbreak, Dr. Catacutan credits the success of the 2019 outbreak response to a true “multi-sectoral effort”—a campaign that needs to be sustained to combat the rise in zero dose children. “Most people think this is only an issue for the health sector, but this isn’t true.” “Sometimes we need the Department of Social Welfare and Development to give financial…

Residents of Barangay Magallanes, Limasawa, line up to avail of free health services provided by the mobile health teams of UNICEF and its partners. Residents of Barangay Magallanes, Limasawa, line up to avail of free health services provided by the mobile health teams of UNICEF and its partners. Residents of Barangay Magallanes in Limasawa,…

Things seemed to be going back to normal at Mabuhay Elementary School in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte. After two years of learning at home due to COVID-19 restrictions, the school finally resumed face-to-face classes. This was a welcome development for both students and teachers. “The modules were very difficult,” said 11-year-old Princess…

Injury and violence is a major killer of children under 18 years old. According to the World Health Organization, around 2,270 children die every day as a result of unintentional injuries. Road traffic injury has become more fatal than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and diarrheal diseases, killing an estimated 1.35 million people each year. In the…, Ten road safety tips for children ,  , Stop and be aware when crossing roads. Do not rush. Look at your left and right, and at all directions. Be cautious before crossing roads. Listen to traffic signals when crossing roads. Don’t use gadgets while crossing the road. Think twice before crossing roads. Only cross the road when traffic is favorable. Stay calm and do not run when crossing…

MANILA, Philippines – Shirly Mendez, a 41-year-old grandmother from Bicutan in Metro Manila, never missed a vaccine for her five children when they were young. When her oldest daughter had children of her own, she followed her mother’s example and made sure they were vaccinated. Both mothers believed that vaccines would keep their babies safe from…