Laoag City, Ilocos Norte— The province of Ilocos Norte has intensified its efforts to safeguard young girls against cervical cancer by becoming the first province in the country to launch a school-based immunization program.
The initiative, dubbed “Bakuna Eskwela,” is a joint effort between the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd). It aims to immunize 15,000 Grade 4 female students across Region 1, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. The school-based campaign follows the success of Banna, a town in Ilocos Norte, which reached a 90% HPV vaccination rate in March 2024.
At the launch, the province hopes to vaccinate over 1,000 girls aged 9-14 against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer. Additionally, some students will receive vaccines against measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.
