UNICEF: 1 million children in the Philippines have never been vaccinated

Children aged 5 to 11 years old, accompanied by their guardians, receive COVID-19 vaccine jabs at the Marikina Sports Complex on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, the fifth day of pediatric vaccination in Metro Manila.

The STAR / Walter Bollozos

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has one million children who have not received a single dose of childhood vaccine, leaving them susceptible to transmission of various life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio, measles, and tuberculosis, the United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF said Monday. 

In a statement Monday, UNICEF lamented "persistent missed opportunities" that it attributed to "past governance challenges, low demand for services, and disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Pointing to gains over the coronavirus pandemic, though, it said that "the number of adults and children administered the COVID-19 vaccines have shown that the Philippines can reach significant numbers in a short period of time" as it called on the government to prioritize investments and human resources "to reach zero dose children with clear and timebound strategies and targets."

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/10/24/2218946/unicef-1-million-children-philippines-have-never-been-vaccinated