Immunize children vs Pneumonia, VPDs — experts

MANILA, Philippines — Health experts are encouraging children get immunized during the first thousand days of their lives against communicable vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) such as Pneumonia.

This November will mark the fifth year RA 11146 (First 1000 Days Act) was signed into law, where it is highly recommended that kids get immunization during this important stage of their development.

Dr. Vicente Belizario, former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Public Health, in a press conference last October 3 considered childhood vaccination as the most-cost effective intervention to prevent VPDs.

Alongside pushing for immunization, Belizario also called for improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) areas.

Belizario also discussed the Philippines' National Immunization Programs (NIPs), which he claimed was among the country's most expensive government projects using taxpayers' money.

The NIPs offer free vaccines at government facilities with a target 95% coverage, however, such numbers declined during the pandemic due to lockdowns, service delivery disruptions, and supply and/or cold chain issues.

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Other reasons why parents don't get their children vaccinated are clashing work schedules, distance of facilities, weather disturbances, economically-deprived households, and too many children.

Belizario shared data from the World Health Organization and UNICEF where the Philippines have a million children who do not receive any kind of vaccination — the fifth-highest in the world, and the second-highest in East Asia behind Indonesia — and among the top countries where children under five are stunting.

A report from the Philippine Statistics Authority on Causes of Death released last September 12 shows that Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death. COVID-19 was at the 10th spot.

In 2022 alone, Pneumonia was the cause of death for 60,500 Filipinos. About half of those were children under five years, making it the leading cause of child mortality in the Philippines.

Pedriatric expert Dr. Fatima Gimenez, a former student of Belizario, said the goal should