To ensure the success of its Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI) program, the City Health Office, in partnership with Relief International, conducted a coordination and orientation seminar to barangay and district health workers.
Monday’s seminar is the first of the series of four seminars that aims to enjoin officials and health works in the barangay and district health centers to convince parents to have their children vaccinated.
The two confirmed Pertussis cases in Davao City prompted the need for a PIRI campaign which is slated last week of April.
Dr. Julinda Acosta, Head of the CHO Technical Division, said the campaign will stress on ensuring that children between 0-23 months old will receive their primary series of vaccines which is available for free in any barangay and district health centers. The primary series, she said, will help young children avoid contracting Pertussis, measles, Hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, and influenza. The series also includes shots against polio.
Barangay functionaries, Acosta said, play a vital role in the information dissemination of health campaigns as well as in providing assistance to health staff. They are also expected to play an active role for the PIRI program, especially in reaching parents of children under 2 years old to reach the goal of fully immunizing every child in the city.
A total of 55 barangay functionaries, district health doctors, nurses, and health workers from Poblacion and Talomo Districts were invited to participate in the orientation on Monday. One of them is former health worker and Barangay Councilor Luzviminda Borja of 10-A.
Borja said a significant number of parents are still hesitant to have their kids inoculated out of fear of adverse effects. However, Borja said health workers such as herself and many others are determined to sway unsure parents and protect children from illnesses such as pertussis.
“Dapat mang-ingganyo ta kay naa na ang kasulbaran sa atong problema … Ato gyud na silang (parents) duolon kay naa ta’y nakita na mga problema na pwede muabot na angay na natong likayan (We have to urge them because we already have the solution to the problem … We really have to reach out to the parents because we see a potential problem that we are perfectly capable of avoiding),” Borja said. CIO
