ROUTINE IMMUNIZATION. Dr. Jaime Santos, former president and life fellow of Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, says Bacillus Calmette–Guérin, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertusis, Tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccines are available at the health centers for free. Speaking at the National Capital Region Parent's Forum in Taguig City on Thursday (June 20, 2019), he said polio and tetanus were eradicated in 2000 and 2017, respectively, with the help of vaccines. (PNA photo by Ma. Teresa Montemayor)
MANILA -- Health experts on Thursday stressed the importance of routine immunizations for children and how they provide protection against life-threatening diseases from birth to adulthood.
"Maraming sakit na nakamamatay lalo na sa mga bagong panganak at sa mga bata na maaaring maiwasan sapamamagitan ng pagbabakuna. At hindi lamang ito para sa mga sanggol, may bakuna rin para sa mga buntis (Many deadly diseases among newborn and children could be prevented through vaccination. Vaccines are not only for babies, there are also vaccines for the pregnant women), older children and senior citizens," Dr. Jaime Santos, former president and life fellow of Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, said at the National Capital Region Parent's Forum in Taguig City.
Santos added tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, and hepatitis B are a few of the diseases which can be prevented by vaccines.
"Alam niyo po ang Pilipinas ay naging polio-free simula noong 2000 dahil sa paggamit natin ng bakunang pinapatak at itinuturok. Mayroon na lamang tatlong bansa sa buong mundo na may polio prevalence, ito ang (The Philippines became polio-free in 2000 due to our use of vaccines in drops and injection forms. There are only three countries worldwide which still have polio prevalence, these are) Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan," he said.
Citing the different types of tuberculosis (TB), Santosa emphasized the effectiveness of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine in protecting babies and young children from contacting the disease.
"Kumakalat ang TB sa ibang bahagi ng katawan gaya ng utak, buto, dugo at kidney. Ito po ay napakalawak na sakit na kailangan ng (TB spreads to different parts of the body like the brain, bones, blood and kidney. This is a wide-spread disease requiring) continuous medication because if you stop taking your medicines, you'll develop a resistant type of TB and you'll spread the disease," he said.
"Ang isa pang nakamamatay na sakit na maiiwasan sa pamamagitan ng bakuna ay ang tigdas. Ito ay isang airborne disease na madaling kumalat sa ibang tao (Another life-threatening disease which can be prevented through vaccines is measles. This is an airborne disease which easily spreads), in fact measles causes significant mortality across all ages, and the Philippines is No. 3 in the world when it comes to measles cases," he added.
To help protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases, Santos said the Department of Health, through the school-based immunization program administers vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and tetanus to grade 1 to 7 students in public schools.
Meanwhile, Dr. Clarabelle Abad, clinical associate professor of the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital, said adults and senior citizens can still be vaccinated "so they can be protected for the rest of their lives".
"Ang pulmonya ay hindi lamang pangkaraniwan sa mga bata, kinakapitan din nito ang mga matatanda na mayroong diabetes at sakit sa puso. Maari din magkaroon ng pulmonya ang mayroong (Pneumonia is common not only among children, senior citizens with diabetes and heart disease are susceptible to the disease. Other people who might have pneumonia are those with) chronic tuberculosis, alcoholics, smokers and undergoing chemotherapy but through vaccines, pneumonia can be prevented," Abad said.
She added other deadly diseases adults can be protected from through vaccination include chicken pox, diptheria, hepatitis A and B, human papilloma virus, shingles, rubella, chicken pox, whooping cough, mumps and tetanus. (PNA)
