DOH, DEPED JRP
Joint Press Release | 7 October 2024

Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa and Education Secretary Sonny Angara are launching today “Bakuna Eskwela”, a vaccination campaign meant to protect school-age children against measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria (MR, Td), and human papillomavirus (HPV). Bakuna Eskwela is a joint initiative of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to once again pursue safe and effective school-based immunization.

Bakuna Eskwela aims to immunize at least 3.8 million public school students enrolled in Grades 1 and 7 with MR and Td vaccines, and another 973,930 female Grade 4 students in selected public schools for the HPV vaccine that protects against cervical cancer. With a total budget allocation of PhP 853 million, the campaign will be implemented across public schools nationwide until November 2024. School-based immunization (SBI) was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic due to mobility restrictions. Now that classes are delivered face-to-face, DOH and DepEd resumed SBI at full capacity following the issuance of DOH Department Memorandum 2024-0250 and supported by DepEd Memorandum 2024-03-06789.

From January 1 to September 14, 2024, the DOH recorded 3,356 cases of measles and rubella with 11 deaths; 215 cases of diphtheria with 25 deaths; and 81 cases of neonatal tetanus with 44 deaths. DOH also noted around 7,897 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and about 4,052 die from the disease annually. All of these cases and deaths could have been prevented through safe and effective vaccination.

“We always welcome and even pursue opportunities to collaborate with the DOH that will help us achieve our five-point agenda, pursuant to the SONA directives of Pres. Marcos, to focus on improving education outcomes. School-based immunization strengthens this agenda, particularly in ensuring the physical and mental well-being of learners to enjoy learning that is free from health burdens and putting a premium on ensuring a positive learning experience for our learners,” said Secretary Angara.

“We thank President Marcos Jr. for his strong support for saving lives through immunization. We also thank our partners from the DepEd and the local government units across the country for helping us save the lives of our students – dahil sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Buhay Mahalaga!” said Secretary Herbosa.