SENATOR Nancy Binay on Thursday called on the Department of Health and local government units to come up with strategies and life-saving interventions to have more children get their vaccinations.

Binay said improving the routine immunization coverage can be the critical step in reaching out to unvaccinated and vulnerable young population.

“Sobrang nakababahala ang balita ng UNICEF. Sa ngayon, parang isang milyong bata ang ‘at risk and unprotected’ dahil wala sila ni isang bakuna. And with the resurgence of many other diseases plus the new Covid variants, talagang government has to step up efforts in improving our immunization status,” she said.

“The DOH may also need to revamp its ‘patak’ strategies, and place a stable machinery to ensure the vaccination of one million children in two years max,” the senator added.

The UNICEF recently ranked the Philippines as 5th zero-dose country in the world and the second highest in East Asia and the Pacific Region with one million children missing out on routine vaccinations.

Zero-dose children are those who lack the first dose of the trivalent diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine.

“Para may katuwang ang DOH, the LGUs must likewise scale up response via information campaign to help the public’s vaccine confidence and deal with the level of community resistance against having their children vaccinated,” Binay pointed out.

“We understand that the pandemic sidetracked the routine yet essential health services thereby leaving many children at risk. Pero hindi natin pwedeng idahilan ang pandemic fatigue dahil meron tayong malaking accountability sa mga bata,” she said.