The city government here launched on Tuesday its pneumococcal vaccination program to prevent the elderly from getting pneumonia.
Through the City Health Office (CHO), some senior citizens in Barangay San Nicolas were administered with the vaccine against the infection.
City health promotion officer Aylmer Alimurong cited the importance of getting anti-pneumonia shots.
“Binibigay natin yung [pneumococcal vaccines] lalo na pag season ng tag-init at taglamig wherein mataas yung case ng pneumonia and binibigay natin ito sa specific target population natin which is isa po yung mga senior citizens para maprotektahan sila laban sa sakit na pneumonia (We provide [pneumococcal vaccines] especially during the summer and cold seasons where the case of pneumonia is high and we give it to our specific target population, one of them the senior citizens to protect them against pneumonia),” Alimurong said.
He assured the residents that the vaccines being given are safe.
“Ang importante lang talaga ina-assess natin sino ang pwede at sino ang dapat mabigyan at i-prioritize this pandemic (What is important is that we assess those who can and who should be given and prioritize this pandemic),” he added.
Rowena Salas, Rural Health Unit 4 physician, led the inoculation.
“Isa po itong proteksyon (This is one protection) and this will also help boost their immune system against the virus and various diseases. Pero di porket may bakuna po tayo, hindi po ibig sabihin na pwede na tayong mag relax (But it does not mean that if we have vaccines, we can relax),” she said.
Salas reminded the senior citizens to follow the minimum health standards.
She also thanked the residents who voluntarily participated in the vaccination program.
The CHO allotted some 3,600 pneumonia vaccines and piloted the immunization drive with limited beneficiaries before eventually expanding to cover all barangays.
Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin thanked the seniors who put their trust in the local government and supported the city’s programs.
Alongside the pneumococcal vaccination program, the city government also launched the measles-rubella vaccination drive, a regular program of the CHO, in partnership with the Department of Health. (PNA)
