UNICEF Philippines calls for strategic action to combat vaccine hesitancy

A health specialist from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines highlighted the “global threat” posed by vaccine hesitancy, stating its impact not only in the Philippines but worldwide.

“It is the delay or the refusal to vaccinate kahit available ang vaccine services [Even if vaccine services are available],” said UNICEF Philippines health specialist Carla Orozco on Friday, April 19, during the Kapihan with the Media for World Immunization Week.

She outlined various factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, citing the influence of information individuals encounter, regardless of its accuracy.

Factors affecting vaccine hesitancy

“What people hear, read, and see affects the perception of vaccines regardless of whether they are factual or not,” she explained. “Even rumors and misinformation, they become the truth.”

Orozco further stressed the role of past vaccination experiences and the quality of interactions with healthcare workers in shaping perceptions.

“The quality of interactions with the attending healthcare worker, sometimes, their complaints are health workers not being accommodating or friendly—it can affect the perception in vaccination,” she said.

Health specialists pointed out that issues such as distance to health facilities and vaccine availability also play significant roles in hesitancy.

“Kung masyadong malayo ang facility in terms of access, that could also contribute to vaccine hesitancy (If the facility is too far away in terms of access, that could also contribute to vaccine hesitancy),” she said.

Orozco added: “Lalo na kung pabalik-balik sila and vaccines are not available then that would really contribute as well to vaccine hesitancy (Especially if they have to keep coming back and vaccines are not available, then that would really contribute to vaccine hesitancy as well).”

Meanwhile, trust in government, social preparation for new vaccines, and the political environment were also identified by Orozco as influential factors affecting vaccine acceptance within communities.

“Like the lack of support from local officials for vaccination services, lack of outreaches that would result in poor access to vaccination services,” she said.

Addressing data from the measles outbreak immunization response (MORI) in BARMM, the health specialist revealed significant deferral or refusal rates, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.

Orozco revealed that as of April 19, there have been 19,342 cases of deferral or refusal in BARMM, while the total vaccinated stands at 1,006,595 individuals, indicating the potential for higher coverage if these deferrals and refusals were tackled.

“This could have been higher if these deferral and refusals would be addressed,” she said.

Addressing vaccine hesitancy

To tackle vaccine hesitancy effectively, Orozco stressed the importance of key strategies.

She reiterated that it is important to note that vaccine hesitancy is not always a hard “no”.

“It’s not that people don’t want to be vaccinated, what is important maybe — is they need to talk to someone who has authority and who is empathetic, who will listen to their concerns,” Orozco said.

The health specialist further added: “The support of health workers, local officials, and other influencers like religious leaders and respective tribal chiefs so that this misinformation will be addressed.”

Orozco advocated for evidence-based interventions, stressing the need for targeted capacity-building efforts among healthcare workers, social mobilizers, and community influencers.

“Determine the reasons for the hesitancy, so from this, the health facilities together with DOH and other development partners can support developing plans and strategies to address the hesitancy concerns,” Orozco said.

She also stressed the importance of capacity building, specifically training health workers, social mobilizers, and community influencers to effectively engage parents.

“This includes the immunization or the bakuna champions, they are respected members of the society,” she added. — Zekinah Elise Espina