Written by According to the World Health Organization WHO , health is not merely the absence of a disease but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. With that being said, our physical wellness, the first layer of our health, can make or break our overall wellness. Today, while getting sick is still inevitable, safeguards from various illnesses are easily available, for free! In the Philippines, some vaccines are immediately given to a newborn, while a full series follows throughout childhood, in order to eliminate the common diseases that put children at risk. To date, illnesses such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis whooping cough , poliomyelitis polio , measles, mumps, rubella, and haemophilus influenzae type B infections are now completely avoidable through vaccination. How can vaccine save…. Vaccines are considered to be among the greatest human inventions of all time. They are directly responsible for the increased life expectancy we enjoy by preventing childhood death from diseases such as measles, pertussis, and diphtheria. The that, among children born in the last 20 years, vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths. But beyond saving lives, this reduction in disease means a reduction in the cost of treating these illnesses. This translates into vaccines being not only lifesaving but money-saving as well. How exactly do vaccines save money? When a child gets sick with a vaccine-preventable illness as with any serious illness , he or she will need to seek treatment and this, of course, is going to cost. Now if the child gets a serious complication, he or she may need to be hospitalized, and in worse cases, treatment could drag on for weeks or months. So there are hospital bills, medications, and doctor visits before, during, and after the illness. Tragically, if there are long-term complications, such as deafness from mumps or brain damage from measles, there will be costs associated with this as well adaptive devices, special education requirements, etc. If you want to eliminate or at least minimize the chances of your child getting sick, complete their vaccination. The less trips you make to the doctor, the less expenses it will impose on your pockets. While these vaccines may only prevent common illnesses, these illnesses can progress to more complicated diseases, which can be difficult and expensive to treat! At what age should you immunize your child? Upon birth, they are immediately vaccinated against certain diseases, while some vaccinations are given at a later age. These vaccinations can last a lifetime and are given for free by the government through their Expanded Program on Immunization. The fully immunized child must have completed BCG 1, DPT 1, DPT 2, DPT 3, OPV 1, OPV 2, OPV 3, HB 1, HB 2, HB 3 and measles vaccines before the child is 12 months of age. The immunization schedules are as follows: Vaccine Minimum Age at 1st Dose Number of Doses Dose Minimum Interval Between Doses Route Bacillus Calmette-Guérin BCG The BCG is given at the earliest possible age to protect against the possibility of tuberculosis TB meningitis and other TB infections in which infants are prone to. Birth or any time after birth 1 dose 0. Prevents liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, which are more likely to develop if infected with Hepatitis B early in life. At birth 3 doses 0. Millions of vaccines are administered every year. These prevent many from suffering and save many of lives. Scientific studies have well established their effectiveness. Side effects such as fever and body malaise may be common, but complicated ones are relatively rare and usually mild
