The Office of the Provincial Health of Cavite (OPHC) posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, to remind parents of the importance of routine vaccination for their infants.

According to the post, the vaccines are proven, safe, quality, effective, and free. Some of the routine vaccines for infants are:

• Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccine (BCG) for tuberculosis
• Hepatitis B Vaccine for hepatitis B
• Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for polio
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella
• Pentavalent Vaccine for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B
• Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV) for pneumococcal disease

The post emphasized that vaccination is the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, which can cause serious complications or death in children. It urged parents to prevent diseases and get their children vaccinated. For more information, they can visit the nearest health center in their area.

The post also provided a link to the #ChikitingLigtas FAQ, which contains more details about the childhood immunization schedule, the benefits and risks of vaccines, and the common myths and facts about vaccination.

The OPHC’s post is part of its campaign to raise awareness and increase coverage of routine immunization for children in the province.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), routine immunization coverage among children must be at least 95% to prevent outbreaks and achieve herd immunity.

However, the Philippines has been experiencing low immunization rates in recent years, leading to outbreaks of measles, polio, and diphtheria.

The OPHC encourages parents to avail of the free vaccines provided by the government in public health centers and facilities. It also assures the public that the vaccines are safe and effective, and that any adverse effects are rare and manageable.

The health office appeals to parents to trust the science and the experts, and not to believe the misinformation and rumors that circulate online or through word-of-mouth.

The OPHC hopes that its Facebook post will reach more parents and motivate them to protect their children’s health and future through vaccination.