The Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd) and City Health Office (CHO) formally launch “Bakuna Eskwela,” a school-based immunization (SBI) at the Talon-talon Central Elementary School, Monday, October 7.
“Bakuna Eskwela” focuses on immunizing public school students in Grades 1 and 7 with MR (measles, rubella) and Td (tetanus, diphtheria) vaccines, and female Grade 4 students in selected public schools with the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer.
The CHO said a total of 43,694 children are targeted for SBI in Zamboanga City, of which 22,499 are Grade 1 students, 20,783 are Grade 7 students, while 2,412 are Grade 4 female students targeted for HPV first dose and 2,412 for second dose.
Regionwide, the total SBI target is 179,760 children from public schools.
CHO personnel in the 16 health districts are deployed to the different public schools to conduct the Bakuna Eskwela campaign from October to November.
The launching of the Bakuna Eskwela was held at the Talon-talon Central School, which is one of the schools with biggest population at over 7,000 students.
The launching program was followed by a press conference with officials from the DOH led by Regional Director Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DEPED led by City Schools Supt. Dr. Majarani Jacinto, Talon-talon Central School Principal Dr. Ronald Aba-a, CHO led by Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Cathy Garcia and head nurse Cora Pagotaisidro and Councilor Vino Guingona, chair of the Council Committee on Health. (CMO-PIO)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)