To avoid wastage, the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) has decided to offer unused anti-cervical cancer vaccines to those who wanted to avail of vaccine before these expire during the months of June and July this year.
DOH-7 Director Jaime Bernadas said they barely have three months to make sure that the vaccines are used ahead of its expiry date.
“Wala naman tay mahimo kay wala naman tay recipients. Ato nalang gi-reallocate sa uban (There is nothing more that we can do because we no longer have recipients. We have decided to reallocate the vaccines to new recipients),” he said.
Bernadas said those who wanted to avail of the free anti-cervical vaccines can visit DOH-7 office or the nearest health center.
He is especially encouraging female adolescents aged between 9 to 13 years old to avail of the vaccine because this is the age when puberty starts.
Bernadas said it is best to ensure the protection of female adolescents before they start to become sexually active.
He is also asking parents to set aside their fear of immunizations which resulted from the Dengvaxia scare to protect their daughters from the risk of cervical cancer.
“In general, dunay apprehension ang mga ginikanan tungod sa Dengvaxia. Almost all of the immunization program medyo naapektuhan tungod sa apprehension sa Dengvaxia,” he said.
“Dapat dili ta mahadlok. Atong dalhon ang mga bata ug atong pabakunahan (We should not be afraid. Instead, bring your children (to the health centers) for vaccination),” he added.
Dr. Rene Catan, head of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), said they received a total of 4,191 ampules of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines from DOH-7 last year.
Around 1,705 ampules have remained unused based on PHO’s April 18 inventory. These ampules were returned by Regional Health Units (RHUs) in Carcar City and the municipalities of Argao, Dumanjug and Santander in southern Cebu and San Remigio and Borbon towns in northern Cebu.
PHO already started giving out at least 100 ampules of the vaccine to female employees of the Cebu provincial capitol.
Catan said they intend to only return 200 ampules to DOH-7.
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