Young people urged to get vaccination

THE most common ailments of adolescents are respiratory diseases like coughs and colds.

Dr. Josephine Valencia, health coordinator of the Department of Education Cebu City Division, also said adolescents are prone to gastritis, fever, headaches and toothaches.

She said they are also vulnerable to mumps, measles and diphtheria because teenagers are one of the most active groups.

During yesterday’s launching of the adolescent immunization program at the Abellana National High School, 38 out of 45 students were vaccinated for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and tetanus-diphtheria (Td).

Dr. Stella Ygonia, Cebu City health officer, said that the parent’s consent forms for the program will be revised so authorities would known the reasons behind their refusal to have their children avail of the free immunization program.

The program targets 341,371 students in Central Visayas for vaccination.

Ygonia said five cases of mumps were recorded last year.

In 2011, the highest number of neonatal tetanus cases was recorded in Central Visayas.

The vaccines will help eliminate measles and neonatal tetanus, eradicate polio, control hepatitis B and other vaccine preventable diseases.