The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) will conduct regional activities to achieve 95 percent routine immunization coverage for eligible children.

Dr. Desiree Bricenio, DOH-Bicol immunization program manager, said they are expecting more than 50,000 vaccines for school-based, big catch-up and supplemental immunization activities.

“We have schedules for the activities that will be conducted. For school-based immunization, ongoing discussions are being undertaken with the Department of Education,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of the Bicol Regional Immunization Council meeting on Monday.

For the big catch-up, Bricenio said the vaccines are expected to arrive next month.

“From August to December, we will spend a week immunizing children who are not given the allotted vaccines,” she added.

Bricenio said they are working with various national and local government agencies to increase the region’s coverage by almost 20 percent starting in July this year.

In addition to the activities, DOH-Bicol also scheduled capacity-building activities to provide comprehensive immunization and management training and a seminar on “Bakuna” champions for coordinators, medical professionals, midwives, and barangay health workers.

“As we collaborate with our stakeholders, we want them to share specific supports they can offer,” she said.

DOH-Bicol recorded 147,409 eligible children for the program. (PNA)