Philippine Health Experts and DOH Give High-Five to Filipino Children

Yesterday marked the celebration of the 5^th Annual World Pneumonia Day.  The event coincide with the 14^th Philippine National Immunization Conference which was held at Summit Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City, Philippines.

The program was spearheaded by no less than the Philippines’ dancing secretary Dr. Eric Tayag together with some gorgeous local dance icons, the Maneuvers, for a dance exercise.

A ceremonial vaccination campaign was also conducted.  Five mothers from Tagaytay City together with their infants were invited to participate.

There was also a huge symbolic cake that was presented to make the occasion more festive and party-like.

Pneumonia is currently the leading cause of children’s death worldwide especially those under the age of five, the reason why they never get the chance to celebrate their 5^th birthday. In 2012 alone, it has claimed the lives of 1.1 million children which is more than the deaths caused by AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

The Philippines being a developing country is among those that are highly at-risk from pneumonia occurrence.  Even this health condition is highly preventable,  still it has become a major death-cause among children primarily due to limited access to health care facilities and treatment as well as parent’s or the mother’s lack of education and understanding about it.

The good news is, as a response to call for action to prevent pneumonia deaths, the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) has made available the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in most local health centers. The program will soon become of universal coverage, that is, it will be mandatory available and part of the Philippine Epidemiology Program. Other than medical interventions, there will be continuous support for health care workers to help them encourage mothers to breastfeed, practice good sanitation and learn more about nutritional practices.

It used to be that PCV is really very expensive. Some years back, I had my little boy given this vaccine as recommended by out pediatrician he has weak lungs having experienced bronchitis episode and was already hospitalized when he was just 10 months old. The vaccine costs me several thousands of pesos but I think I had no choice because I am after the well-being of my son.

But for some who lack the means, this vaccine is one of those that was often neglected. Only after something terrible happened that they will realized its importance. Although it is not a hundred percent guarantee that the vaccine will prevent a child to be disease stricken, at least it will provide a good protection. Being a mother myself I am personally glad it is now available for free. I share the vision of the Philippine government that soon, no child will ever die of pneumonia; that more children will get to celebrate their 5^th birthday and beyond.

Influenza Vaccination

Its rainy months once again and coinciding with this type of season is the onset of several disease health conditions like influenza or commonly known as "FLU".  It is caused by the Influenza virus A, B or C.

image taken from the web

Mode of transmission:
Entry of the virus into the respiratory tract:

• via droplets from an infected person through coughing, talking and sneezing.
• through contact with the surfaces, material and clothing contaminated with discharges of an infected person.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Fever at least 38 C
• Headache
• Runny nose, sore throat, cough or other respiratory manifestations
• May or may not have muscle or joint pains

Flu Prevention Tips:

1. Get vaccinated. Although the following preventive measures can help. the best way to prevent flu is to get a flu vaccine every year.


2. Eat a balanced diet and get proper rest. This is a good general advice for keeping your body healthy and able to fight off infections.  A proper diet and adequate sleep can help your immune system stay strong so that it can fight off viral infections before they take hold.


3.  Keep your distance.  Generally speaking, you should avoid being closer than six feet to someone who is ill for more than a minute or two, especially if they're coughing and sneezing.  You should also avoid going to work when you are ill with flu and encourage your kids to stay home from school if they have flu.


4.  Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces.  cleaning and disinfecting are not the same.  While cleaning with soap and water removes visible dirt and most germs, disinfecting with a bleach solution or other disinfectant kills additional germs on surfaces, providing an added margin of safety.


5.  Wash your hands.  Hand washing with soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent infectious diseases.


We just had our flu vaccination the other week.  Although getting vaccination is not 100 percent guaranteed being free from the disease, it is but one of the best precautions.  What about you, have you had your flu vaccine?