DOH: 31,000 Filipino children, women, seniors receive vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of children, women and senior citizens in Calbayog, Samar are set to receive various vaccines as part of the Department of Health’s (DOH) efforts during World Immunization Week, which runs from April 24 to 30.

The DOH said around 31,000 Filipinos were expected to be vaccinated on the first day of the campaign alone.

Among them are infants and toddlers aged 0 to 12 months, who will receive five key vaccines that protect against multiple diseases:

• Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) – for tuberculosis
• Pentavalent vaccine – for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, meningitis, and hepatitis B
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) – for pneumonia
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) – for polio

Each vaccine follows a specific schedule. BCG is typically given at birth, while the pentavalent, PCV and OPV vaccines are administered in three doses over four months starting at six weeks of age. MMR is first given when the child reaches nine months, with a second dose at one year.

According to the DOH, unvaccinated children in the Philippines dropped to 163,000 in 2023 from over 1 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa tied the earlier surge in “zero-dose” children to school closures.

Around 64% of 2.4 million children aged zero to 12 months have already been immunized as of February, the DOH added. 

1 in 10 Filipino children unvaccinated

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), completing the full vaccination schedule is “the safest and most effective way” to ensure children's long-term health. Delays in vaccination can increase their risk of contracting serious illnesses.

Catch-up vaccinations are also provided for children who missed their scheduled doses. In the Philippines, the government offers free routine immunization at public health centers and facilities.

UNICEF data highlights a relatively high child mortality rate in the country, with 26 out of every 1,000 live births not expected to reach their fifth birthday. 

The data also reveals that one in 10 children grows up without any vaccinations, with the situation being particularly severe in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where up to six in 10 children are unvaccinated.

“Yet, persistent inequities remain a significant challenge — many unvaccinated children live in underserved communities,” World Health Organization (WHO) Philippine Representative Rui Paulo de Jesus said.  

UNICEF attributes much of the ongoing child mortality to vaccine-preventable infections and parasitic diseases. 

Senior citizens, pregnant women

Aside from children, senior citizens will be offered flu and pneumococcal vaccines, while young women aged nine to 14 will receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which helps protect against cervical and anal cancers.

Pregnant women are also expected to receive the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, administered in two doses before delivery. This helps the mother develop antibodies against the viruses, offering early protection for the infant.

The DOH has been allocated a budget of P7.9 billion for vaccine procurement in 2025, with additional funds designated for healthcare worker allowances and awareness campaigns.

Vaccination is also a key component of the government's 8-point action agenda, which aims to ensure that all Filipinos are healthy, safe, prepared for emergencies, protected from illness, mentally healthy and shielded from pandemics.

“Towards Universal Health Care, we continue to engage local leaders, parents, health workers, and partners to build a strong and resilient immunization system, where the promise of improved vaccination coverage rates is realized, and more lives across life stages are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Herbosa said.