By Danny Estacio

SAMPALOC, Quezon – About 400 female elementary students from 14 public and private schools were vaccinated for human papilloma virus (HPV) during the resumption of school-based immunization (SBI) program simultaneously launched in Sampaloc Elementary School, on September 24.

It is a joint effort of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 4A Director Ariel Valencia represented by Dr. Mark Santos, Department of Education (DepEd), local government unit of Sampaloc headed by Mayor Gelo Devanadera and in partnership with Mersk Sharp and Dohme (MSD).

Ceremonial vaccination to students ages from 9 to 14 from 14 different public and private  schools in this town.

The vaccination marks the return of the province-wide initiative to protect schoolchildren from vaccine-preventable diseases, like cervical cancer caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

It also supports the upcoming national launch of the school-based immunization (SBI) program.

The SBI was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting to a community-based approach due to mobility restrictions. With in-person classes now fully resumed, health officials have prioritized bringing the program back to schools to protect children against diseases such as measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and HPV.

The restart and continue its mission to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases, especially HPV, which is directly linked to cervical cancer, said Dr. Santos.

Accordingly, cervical cancer, largely caused by high-risk HPV infection, is the second most common cancer among Filipino women and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, Santos added.

Based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer, nearly 40 million Filipinos remain at risk, with 12 deaths occurring daily due to the disease.

Cervical cancer is one of only two cancers that can be prevented, making early detection and prevention crucial. Nearly all cases can be avoided through HPV vaccination, regular cervical screenings, and timely follow-up care when necessary. If caught early, cervical cancer is also highly curable.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined a global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer until 2030, aiming for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15, 70% of women to undergo screenings by age 35 and again by age 45, and 90% of those with cervical disease to receive treatment.

The SBI program aligns with this global effort, emphasizing the need for early HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer.

“We believe that ensuring the health of our learners is essential to their overall success in education,” Devanadera said.

“Through the resumption of the school-based immunization program, we are not only protecting students from preventable diseases but also helping create an environment where they can thrive academically without the threat of illness.”Santos said.

The return of the SBI program is critical in the wake of recent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis.

Health officials emphasized that all immunizations, including HPV, measles-rubella, and tetanus-diphtheria, will resume under the guidance of the DOH and DepEd, following proper dosages and schedules.

“Collaboration between the DOH, DepEd, local governments, and community partners is key to ensuring that public health is achieved at the grassroots level, DOH said.

 “By working together, we can make sure that programs like school-based immunization reach every child, protecting them from disease and benefiting the health of all Filipinos.”

For parents, caregivers, and health workers, the program’s restart represents a step toward ensuring that the next generation is protected from serious diseases, including those that can lead to cancer later in life.

In Quezon , Sampaloc town being a small town took the challenge as the kick-off site, Devanadera said.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination for female students ages 9 to 14  vaccination kick-off on September 24 at Sampaloc Elementary School as the site for simultaneously school-based immunization provincewide in Sampaloc, Quezon.

(Danny Estacio)