THE ONGOING school-based immunization drive of the Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas reminds us of a powerful truth: vaccination is, beyond being a medical safeguard, also a great social equalizer.
This year, DOH Region 6 targets to vaccinate 62,843 Grade 1 pupils, 84,142 Grade 7 learners, and 38,612 Grade 4 female students across the region. The scale of this undertaking emphasizes its transformative role. Every shot given — whether against measles, tetanus, diphtheria, or even cervical cancer through the HPV vaccine — narrows the gap between children born to well-off families who can afford private healthcare and those whose parents struggle to make ends meet.
While some are hesitant and even fearful due to misinformation, for many parents in Iloilo, Guimaras, and neighboring provinces the free vaccines mean relief from the looming costs of treatment and hospitalization should their children contract preventable diseases. In communities where a single illness can plunge a family deeper into poverty, immunization serves as protection not only for individual health but also for economic stability.
It is also a reminder that public health is most effective when it is inclusive. Diseases do not discriminate between rich and poor, but their consequences weigh heavier on those with fewer resources. By bringing vaccines directly to schools, the government ensures accessibility —making sure that distance, cost, or lack of information are not barriers to protection.
Of course, challenges remain. Vaccine hesitancy persists in some households, fueled by wrong information and fear of side effects. Yet the testimonies of many Western Visayan parents, who have seen their children grow up healthier and protected because of vaccines, provide the strongest counter-narrative. These voices must be amplified.
Vaccination campaigns, then, should not be seen as mere medical missions. They are pillars of social justice. By levelling the playing field and giving every child — regardless of social class — a fair chance at a healthy future, immunization helps lay the foundation of a more resilient and equitable society.
In Western Visayas, where thousands of children stand to benefit, the school-based immunization drive deserves not only compliance but also the wholehearted support of parents, educators, and local leaders. For in every consent form signed, in every shot administered, society takes one step closer to fairness and protection for all.
