DOH expands dengue vaccination drive

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) has expanded its anti-dengue vaccination program to include Grade 4 students in public schools in Cebu.

DOH spokesman Eric Tayag said they launched the campaign in Lapu-Lapu City on Saturday.

“Because there were many vaccines that have not been used, there were recommendations… that these vaccines be used in other areas.  The number one candidate is Cebu because they had the most cases last year,” said Tayag.

Data from the Cebu provincial health office show that 9,137 dengue cases were reported in the province last year. The number is 6,651 cases higher compared to 2015.

The vaccination program, which initially covered Grade 4 students in public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, targeted 700,000 students.

The first dose was administered from April to June 2016, the second from October to December and the third from April to June this year.

Tayag said students with no written “informed consent” from their parents were not vaccinated.

The DOH embarked on the vaccination campaign to prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne disease, which affected 213,930 people in 2016. A total of 1,092 patients died.

DOH records show Central Visayas, including Cebu, registered the highest cases at 28,992; followed by Western Visayas with 23,347 cases; Calabarzon, 24,589; Central Luzon, 21,387; Soccsksargen,19,228; Northern Mindanao, 17,881, and Metro Manila, 16,902.