By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday received PHP145.5 million from the Canadian government for the integration of Covid-19 vaccination, routine immunization and proven approaches that make quality primary health care accessible for Filipinos.
The partnership prioritizes provinces and cities with the highest number of children who have not had a single shot of childhood vaccines and with the greatest number of individuals who have not received Covid-19 booster shots.
These areas include select municipalities in the provinces of Antique, Davao del Norte, and Sarangani, General Santos City; and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The Canadian government provided the grant as part of a strategic partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
“We’re grateful for Canada’s generous PHP145.5 million in support, reflecting a shared commitment to boost public health in the Philippines. Our collaboration with UNICEF integrates Covid-19 vaccination and routine immunization, prioritizing areas with the highest number of unvaccinated individuals,” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.
“Using a gender-responsive approach, we aim to achieve 95 percent coverage, addressing our standing as one of the top five countries with the highest number of zero-dose children. This partnership signifies a concerted effort to reach those not covered in previous years, Dahil sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Buhay Mahalaga (because in New Philippines, every life matters),” he added.
To date, only 637,000 Filipino children (or 60 percent coverage) with childhood vaccines have been fully immunized, according to the most recently available official statistics in 2022.
Since the ideal 95 percent coverage has not been reached, millions of children with zero or incomplete vaccination are still at risk of outbreaks of deadly diseases like measles and polio. (PNA)
