The National Immunization Program represents a meticulous and all-encompassing endeavor undertaken by a nation to safeguard its populace against vaccine-preventable diseases through the implementation of routine immunizations. This systematic initiative is designed with overarching goals that encompass preventing outbreaks, mitigating morbidity and mortality rates, and, in ambitious instances, striving towards the elimination or eradication of specific diseases.

At its core, the National Immunization Program stands as a sentinel of public health, aiming not only to shield individuals from preventable diseases but also to foster collective immunity, thereby fortifying the overall resilience of the population. By delivering routine immunizations, the program endeavors to create a robust defense against infectious agents, curbing the incidence of diseases that can pose significant threats to public health. 

Ongoing

The Routine Immunization Program in Ormoc City for the year 2023 encountered several challenges that necessitated strategic interventions for optimal effectiveness.

One prominent challenge was the adjustment in the definition of Fully Immunized Child (FIC) based on the 2018 version of the Field Health Service Information System (FHSIS). The revised criteria now require reporting after the receipt of the MMR 2nd dose at 12 months and 29 days for eligible children, introducing an additional layer of complexity to the reporting process.

Discrepancies between projected targets and actual infant numbers in Ormoc City posed another obstacle. The variance necessitated a realignment of strategies to address the actual demographic composition, ensuring precision in immunization planning.

Transient clients, individuals who relocated outside Ormoc City after initiating their vaccination schedule, presented a unique challenge. To mitigate this, the Masterlisting initiative was implemented, cataloging infants who failed to adhere to their vaccination schedules, enabling proactive follow-up irrespective of their location.

Defaulter cases, particularly sickly infants unable to attend scheduled vaccinations, contributed to gaps in immunization coverage. To counteract this, the Catch-Up Immunization initiative was introduced, providing a dedicated day at Barangay Health Centers (usually the 4th Monday of the month) for missed vaccinations.

The issue of vaccine stockouts, particularly for TD in the 2nd to 4th quarters and bOPV in the 3rd quarter, posed a critical challenge. This necessitated a proactive approach, ensuring a consistent vaccine supply to meet the demands of the immunization schedule.

Strategic responses were implemented to address these challenges comprehensively. The Masterlisting initiative sought to systematically track infants who missed vaccinations, enabling targeted follow-up. Catch-Up Immunization days were established for convenient access, and the "Reaching Every Purok" strategy pinpointed areas with high defaulter rates, establishing vaccination stations for increased accessibility.

The Rapid Coverage Assessment served as a pivotal tool for validating immunization coverage, ensuring high-quality standards, and identifying any missed children in each barangay. This approach exemplifies the commitment of Ormoc City's health infrastructure to meticulous oversight, adaptability, and proactive measures in the face of challenges, ensuring that every child receives the essential protection provided by routine immunizations. 

While Ormoc City has faced challenges in reaching the national target of 95% Fully Immunized Children over the past years, this journey has opened opportunities for improvement and heightened efforts toward enhancing immunization coverage.

Recognizing the importance of achieving a 95% target for fully immunized children is crucial, as it serves as a benchmark for establishing herd immunity against numerous vaccine-preventable diseases. The challenges encountered have spurred a proactive response from health authorities, leading to innovative strategies and interventions aimed at boosting immunization rates.

By acknowledging the existing gaps and channeling efforts towards addressing them, Ormoc City is poised to overcome previous limitations and move toward the attainment of the national target.

The table below shows the accomplishment of the routine immunization program as of July 2024.

BENCH CONFERENCE WITH MOTHERS AND CAREGIVERS

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TAKING BEFORE VACCINATION

VACCINATION AND HEALTH TEACHING ON SIDE EFFECTS OF THE VACCINE

The Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) Supplementary Immunization Activity (SIA) is a public health intervention aimed at preventing the spread of polio by providing additional immunization coverage, especially in high-risk areas. The implementation of bOPV SIA involves planning, coordination, and execution to ensure that the vaccine reaches all children under five years of age, particularly in areas where polio remains a threat.  Based on the guidelines the implementation date of SIA January-July 2024.

The catch-up program of bOPV 2024 aims to achieve the following target:

·        At least 95% of infants and children of 0-23 mos old have completed the 3 doses of bOPV and

·        At least 95% of 24-59 mos old children are given 1 dose of bOPV regardless of their bOPV Status.

The success of the campaign was attributed with the collaboration between the City Health Department, District Health Centers and our local community. We ensured that every child under five years old received the bOPV vaccine in order for them to be protected from polio. 

Ormoc City Health Department in coordination with Department of Education of Ormoc is proud to announce the resumption of the School Based Immunization Program from August to September 2024.  

This is a program of the Department of Health that has been conducted since 2013, every month of August nationwide in all public schools until the Covid-19 pandemic. We are committed in protecting our school aged children from vaccine preventable diseases by offering free vaccinations for MR, TD and HPV.

Target Population:

🔸️ Grade 1 and Grade 7: Measles, Rubella and Tetanus Diphtheria Vaccine

🔸️9-14 yrs old female only: Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (2 doses)

Our dedicated healthcare workers visited schools as scheduled to administer the vaccines. This proactive approach ensures that every child has access to life-saving immunizations right at their school, making it easier than ever to protect our community's health.

CHECKING OF LIST AND CONSENT 

MR AND TD VACCINATION

Out of 98 schools in Ormoc City, 29 schools were visited by our Healthcare Workers and vaccinated with MR, TD and HPV Vaccines. Our healthcare workers continue to vaccinate the school aged children especially for those students who refused and decided to avail the vaccine.

SENIOR CITIZEN VACCINATION

Influenza and Pneumococcal disease together are responsible for hospitalizations, death and is a substantial disease burden worldwide. Most of the serious complications of these disease occur among the elderly and other people with underlying chronic medical conditions. Immunization remains the best preventive tool in protecting the elderly. All senior citizens aged 60 yrs old & above can avail of free Influenza and PPV23 in their respective health centers.

The program goal is to reduce the morbidity and mortality of indigent senior citizens against pneumonia and influenza diseases; and to reduce transmission of resistant strains & pneumococcal resistance to antimicrobial drugs among indigent senior citizens.

WORLD IMMUNIZATION WEEK 2024

The Ormoc City Health Department proudly celebrated World Immunization Week from April 24-30, 2024 with the theme “50 years Immunization: Kapag Bakuna ay Kumpleto, Lahat Protektado.” Our highlight for this year is the Pertussis Awareness Campaign at Robinsons Mall for our dedicated healthcare workers. Equipping our frontline heroes with knowledge to protect and educate our communities.  The activity was attended by SP Member on Health Dr. Edmund Kierulf, Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Head Mr. Boyd Roderick Cerro, Regional National Immunization Program Manager Ms. Chiradee Claridad, Regional Health Education and Promotion Officer Ms. Ma. Rosario Juntilla, Development Management Officer Ms. Elsie Jaca, Dr. Denise Sembrano -Pediatrician, Dr. Cecile Louise Dejano -Chief Technical Officer of City Health, District Physicians, Nurses, RHMs and our Barangay Health Workers.

 Also, insightful lectures on immunization are conducted in barangays to increase awareness.