By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
MANILA – The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Wednesday (Nov. 29) revealed that they have come up with the “Masaya ang Pasko ng Bakunadong Pilipino” during the post-pandemic period.
Dr. Benito Atienza, immediate past president of the PMA, noted that the Philippines ranked fourth in vaccination worldwide with 2.7 million vaccine jabs in a day.
The PMA has projected that by 2022, there shall have been a 90 percent uptake of vaccination.
It recommended the annual national vaccination days for all Filipinos, Digital synchronized National individual immunization record, Immunization record as a requirement for school entrant, updated record for high school and college, Include vaccine history in every annual Physical Education (PE) for employment, and General Immunization and infectious lectures incorporated in science subject from vaccine expert for grade school and high school.
The local governments of Palawan and Quezon have invested on 100 children to educate them on the importance of vaccination across life stages.
“Vaccination is cost-effective. The vaccination record is very important, especially with the new entrants in schools,” Dr. Atienza said.
“The PMA has advocated that the schools should be used for vaccination drive as the children are already in the place for the inoculation campaign,” he added.
Dr. Lourdes Carolina I. Dumlao, president of the Philippine Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, at the end of 2023, the population of the Philippines will be at 117,337,357.
Immunosenescence means that as people get older, there are changes in their immunity system. Inflammaging means that adult people become more vulnerable to diseases.
Actually, there are vaccines for preventable diseases. Aside from Flu or Influenza and Pneumococcal vaccines, there are more vaccines that are recommended to older people.
There is a need to revaccinate the older people, who are 65 years old and above, as their immunity wanes. There’s not a lot of studies pertaining to older people
Persons with Dementia, who do not have the cognitive ability of their ailments, are also part of a special group of people. Not all vaccines are preventable, however, they prevent death and severe disease to those who have been vaccinated.
