Now that we’re adults, we no longer need vaccination, right? Dead wrong.
"Adult vaccination is just as important because adults have the primary responsibility of taking care of their young children or their elderly parents," says the Immunizers, a group conceived by three medical doctors with one vital goal: to stress the importance of preventive medicine through vaccination. Heading the group are: Dr. Daniel Lipayon, chief executive officer; Dr. Julie Ann Chua-Lipayon, chief finance officer; Dr. Anne Marie Lagman, chief operations manager; Dr. Jan Denton Chua, marketing director; and Jill Chua, liaison officer.
According to the Immunizers, "awareness on vaccine- preventable diseases and immunization for the adult population has always been relatively low compared to the pediatric age group. Yet as more communicable diseases are being nationally and internationally recognized through different forms of media, public demand for knowledge and services regarding immunization has been increasing. Recent outbreaks (meningococcal outbreak in Baguio, bird flu in Southern Asia, etc.) have generated campaigns on preventive medicine and vaccine-preventable diseases among different communities."
At the outset, these doctors were providing home service vaccination to families and small groups. Yes, just like home service manicure or home service massage. But soon, people were knocking on their door, and in February, 2005, the first Immunizers Clinic opened in Greenhills, San Juan.
How did these immunizers equip themselves for this job? Well, Immunizers’ entire medical team underwent training on "vaccination recommendations and cold-chain management" to ensure that proper storage, transport, and administration are observed to provide quality vaccines for every patient. More, Immunizers developed its own customized computer software program dedicated to patient immunization record-keeping.
To date, Immunizers has vaccinated over 4,000 patients and administered over 8,000 doses in the past two years. Indeed, their work has not gone unnoticed. Immunizers was awarded Best in Vaccination Services by the National Shopper’s Choice Awards in 2005 and 2nd Place Best in Immunization Practices by the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination in 2006.
"Our clinic offers the most comprehensive line of adult vaccines," assures the Immunizers. "We make it a point that all recommended vaccines for adults are readily available at our clinic. These include influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella (chickenpox), meningococcal, tetanus, cholera, and ETEC (traveler’s diarrhea), etc. Control of cold-chain process is strictly implemented to ensure the quality of stored vaccines."
Group vaccination packages are also available. "There has been an increasing number of small- to large-scale companies who realize the importance of protecting their employees from vaccine-preventable diseases. The cost-effectivity of vaccination is noted because of the decrease in healthcare costs and lost productivity at work due to absences," Immunizers points out.
And here’s one message these doctors are trying to inject: "Vaccination is not as painful as it is perceived to be. Also, the side effects that people worry about are very rare. At Immunizers, we also take it upon ourselves to get a good medical history of the patient prior to routine vaccination. Many of the myths of old are just those – myths. You can take a bath after vaccination, you can eat and drink after most vaccines (except for a few), and you can work out and go shopping even right after receiving an injection."
So, what diseases should Filipinos be immunized against?
Says the Immunizers, "It is really very exciting because we live in an age wherein new vaccines are being studied and produced. Just recently, a new vaccine (by Merck, Sharp and Dohme) has come out which protects against a virus called HPV (human papilloma virus), which is the leading cause of cervical cancer."
There are many other vaccines coming out and a lot are already in the Immunizers’ armamentarium, but probably the top five diseases that Filipinos should guard against are the following:
1. Hepatitis (A and B). It’s ironic that citizens of other countries are recommended to get vaccinated from hepatitis before traveling to the Philippines, but Filipinos themselves are not protected. Today, only two of the hepatitis viruses are vaccine-preventable: hepatitis A and B. Hepatitis A is easily transmitted by infected people who prepare our food (so be careful especially when you eat out). With the recent addition of hepatitis B as part of routine childhood vaccination, more and more Filipinos are getting protected from hepatitis B, which is a major cause of liver cancer. But this has only been a recent law and so those who were born prior to this law taking effect should look into being protected against this disease.
2. Influenza. Many people often think of the flu as the common cough or cold, but it is really more than that. Influenza is actually more debilitating, especially those with other co-existing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic conditions. Even those who live with such patients should be vaccinated because by protecting themselves, they also protect the people they are taking care of.
3. Pneumococcal. We take for granted that as we get older, our immune system is also not as strong as it used to be. Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of sickness and death in the Philippines. Although there are many causes of pneumonia, the vaccine protects people from the most common cause of this dangerous disease.
4. Typhoid. This food-borne disease is a constant threat in the Philippines and nearby Asian countries. Anyone who has gone through the trauma of being hospitalized due to typhoid will agree that it is well worth the shot!
5. Measles, mumps, rubella. From a woman’s perspective, one of the more delicate times of her life is during her pregnancy. During this time, her baby’s health is dependent on her health, and protecting a mother against these diseases can spell the difference between a healthy newborn and one with congenital defects.
Truly, there’s a dose of wisdom in the saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."