MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday launched a two-day national health fair at Quezon Memorial Circle, encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyle through immersive booths, demonstrations, games, and expert discussions.

The DOH promotes 7 healthy habits: move more, eat right; be clean, live sustainably; get vaccinated; don’t smoke, avoid alcohol, say no to drugs; care for yourself, care for others; practice safe sex; and do no harm, put safety first.

In addition to fun booths, there were also free screenings for tuberculosis, breast cancer, and HIV.

There were also free vaccines for COVID-19, as well as measles, rubella and polio.

DOH Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said the Health department focuses now on routine immunization of children following its drop due to COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nakamamatay ang mga sakit, tulad ng tigdas, at kailangan manatili tayong polio-free, at iba pang sakit tulad ng pneumonia — lahat iyan makukuha natin na benepisyo kung magpapabakuna ang mga bata,” Tayag said.

Health Undersecretary Beverly Ho said the fully-immunized child coverage rate in the country has dropped to 67 percent in 2022, from the usual over 70 percent over the past years.

“Last year ang lowest natin in the decade. Dahil dito, at-risk ‘yung mga bata na magkaroon ng measles or polio outbreak kaya kailangan nating habulin ‘yung bakuna natin diyan,” Ho said.

The DOH will hold measles, rubella and polio supplemental immunization campaign in the whole month of May to improve the country’s immunization coverage, Ho said.