WHO/Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Parents have been bringing their children to rural health units in Eastern Samar since routine vaccination for children under 15 months of age resumed in the second week of January 2014.
Despite recent heavy rains causing misery and hampering recovery efforts, routine vaccination is being provided at the rural health units every Wednesday, and at barangay health centers on the first Wednesday of the month, since services resumed on 8 January 2014.
Radyo Bakdaw, a local radio station in Guiuan set up by Internews right after Typhoon Yolanda at the south-eastern tip of Eastern Samar, has been collecting public health information from WHO, the Department of Health and other partners, and broadcasting this to the public, who listen on their mobile phones and windup radios distributed by Internews and send questions by text message.
"We've been broadcasting messages on Monday, Tuesday and throughout the day on Wednesday that routine vaccinations are now back on," says Nicole Robicheau, Station Manager, Radyo Bakdaw, Guiuan. "Because of this, parents are taking their children to the centres to get vaccinated."
A recent concern from listeners was Dengue fever, and WHO provided information on how to prevent the disease, which the station then broadcast. Health information has proved so popular that the Department of Health provincial level focal point now has a 2 hour radio slot every Saturday afternoon to talk about health issues and share new information.
As of 27 January 2014, routine child immunizations in Guiuan are being made by a midwife visiting the barangay halls on a daily basis.
Resumption of routine child immunization in Eastern Samar
Following devastation caused by Typhoon Yolanda, the provision of routine immunization in many rural health units and barangay health centres had been disrupted due to the destruction of existing cold chain storage, which is crucial in to ensure vaccines are stored and utilized appropriately.
Many rural health units and barangay health centres have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the typhoon.
“WHO is working closely with the Department of Health, the provincial health offices and other health partners in Eastern Samar to ensure continuity in the provision of routine health services, while emphasis is placed on the critical health needs”, said Dr Julie Hall, WHO Representative in the Philippines.
Although work is still being done to repair the necessary infrastructure, every effort is taken to bring back critical routine health services to the affected communities as soon as possible.
Vaccines given to children under five years old as part of the routine immunization include BCG (against tuberculosis), hepatitis B, pentavalent, oral polio, measles, and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).