MANILA -- The Taguig City government will give around 6,000 girls from public schools in the city vaccine shots that will protect them from cervical cancer, a post on the "I love Taguig" Facebook page stated on Sunday.
The immunization from the human papillomavirus, which is known to cause the cancer, will be Taguig City's Christmas gift for the young girls, the post said.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Filipino women aged 15-44, the statement quoted the World Health Organization (WHO) as saying.
The beneficiaries will be schoolgirls aged 9-14 from 23 schools in the city, the first such vaccination drive in the National Capital Region (NCR), the statement added.
An initial vaccination of 15 Grade 4 students was recently held at Lakeshore Hall, C6, Lower Bicutan, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH).
Schoolgirls from Upper Bicutan Elementary School, Upper Bicutan Elementary School, Silangan Elementary School, and Bagong Tanyag Elementary School joined the event.
"We value the health and life of every Taguigeño. If there are opportunities where we can make healthcare preventive and where we can proactively save people and families from the pains and losses to disease, we will seek them out," Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said.
The local government of Taguig also offers free prescription eyeglasses, eye-grade checkups, and eye examination to students in public schools.
Students also receive a wide range of free dental services, as all public schools in the city have resident dentists and modern dental clinics.
Other school-based immunization programs are implemented through the provision of Measles Rubelle (MR) and Tetanus Diptheria (Td) vaccines to all Grade 1 and 7 learners.
"Health is wealth, that is a known fact. We also know that, as leaders, it is our accountability to the people to address this concern and to make sure everyone is included and involved," Cayetano said. (PR)
