DOH reports sharp drop in unvaccinated Filipino children

The number of Filipino children who have never received any vaccines dropped sharply from over one million in 2020-2021 to 163,000 in 2023, according to the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, April 24.

As of February 2025, approximately 64.4 percent of children aged 0-12 months have been fully immunized, with coverage for pneumococcal vaccines among indigent senior citizens at 66 percent and influenza vaccination reaching 65.57 percent.

DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa emphasized the importance of vaccination in achieving universal healthcare and highlighted ongoing efforts to engage local leaders and partners to build a resilient immunization system.

The DOH is marking World Immunization Week with a nationwide campaign starting in Calbayog City, Samar, where over 31,000 individuals are expected to be vaccinated for various diseases including tuberculosis, polio, pneumonia, measles, mumps, rubella, and HPV.

UNICEF Philippines acting Representative Behzad Noubary warned that continued funding, supply chain support, and political will are crucial to maintain this improvement.