Most Filipinos’ idea of vaccination is of children getting booster shots or pet dogs getting their regular rabies shot. Adult immunization is largely seen as unnecessary and not among the standard healthcare priorities, despite the fact that adults, with their active lifestyles, are actually more exposed to different kinds of viruses and diseases.

In the Philippines, only 1% of the adult population go to their doctors to be vaccinated. This is gradually changing, however, as more Filipinos become aware of preventive healthcare and realize the benefit of taking measures to safeguard their and their family’s health. This is where Immunizers comes in.

Opportunity in Crisis

Immunizers is a medical clinic that is promoting preventive medical care through vaccination. What is unique about it is that it is solely dedicated to providing vaccination services for adults. It was set up by three medical doctors who, at the height of the SARS outbreak in 2003, were receiving frantic queries and requests for vaccine shots against the deadly disease.

“Of course, we told our patients that there is no vaccine against SARS, but that there are vaccines against influenza and pneumonia,” relates Dr. Jan Denton Chua, one of the founders of the Immunizers clinic. “They became aware of the existence of preventive medicines for these common diseases.”

Consequently, Chua and his colleagues—Dr. Julie Ann Chua-Lipayon and Dr. Daniel Jude Lipayon, Chua’s sister and brother-in-law, respectively—found themselves giving vaccination shots at the homes of their patients, friends, and other contacts. It was then that they realized that although most people know which pediatric clinic to bring their kids to, many had no idea where to get immunized for their own protection. “We saw the potential from the growing demand, and that’s when we decided to put up Immunizers,” says Chua.

In February 2005, the group opened the Immunizers Clinic in Greenhills, San Juan. Joined by Dr. Anne Marie Lagman, the members of the Immunizer’s medical team are highly trained in vaccination recommendations and cold-chain management to ensure the proper storage, transport, and administration of vaccines to patients. In less than three years, the clinic has already vaccinated over 80,000 patients and administered close to 15,000 doses of vaccines, of which the most common given are against flu, especially before the rainy season, and hepatitis B.

learning the ropes

The success of Immunizers did not happen overnight. According to Chua, the major challenge at the beginning was learning the ropes of the business side of running the clinic. “I have to admit, doctors aren’t natural businessmen,” he humorously discloses. He cited an incident when a power outrage forced them to dispose of P150,000 worth of vaccines because they didn’t have a proper back-up plan for the storage of the temperature-sensitive vaccines. This experience taught them the importance of advance planning.

Staying one Step Ahead The Immunizers clinic provides vaccination services against the following preventable diseases:

chickenpox cholera and e. coli infection hepatitis A hepatitis B human papilloma virus infection influenza meningococcal disease mumps, measles, and rubella pneumococcal disease rabies tetanus typhoid fever

The tougher hurdle that the group still has to contend with is breaking through the mindset of the market regarding vaccinations. Chua shares, “We knew that we were going to face a cynical market even before we started this. People hate needles, and they’re not receptive to the idea of getting injected when they’re not yet sick. Moreover, we know that many people are still unaware about vaccines.”

To address this challenge, the strategy of the Immunizers team has been to go out on medical missions, press conferences, company meetings, and school and community visits to educate the public on the costs of being sick and how vaccination is a sound medical and practical defense against common diseases. They have also been providing free consultations to people who call or visit the clinic to find out more about available vaccines for adults, guiding the patients on what vaccines they can and cannot take.

Immunizers is now aiming to capture a bigger market by expanding its adult immunization services. Aside from providing home-service vaccinations, it is now offering group vaccination services, mostly to families and corporations. Each patient’s record is kept in a computerized database that alerts the clinic when a patient’s next booster shot is due. The clinic also issues an immunization passport to their patients to enable them to keep track of their own records.

pioneer in preventive healthcare

Immunizers has already been recognized by the National Shoppers’ Choice Annual Awards as being No. 1 in vaccination services in 2005, and it was also awarded by the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination the second prize for “best immunization practices in the workplace” in 2006. It has successfully positioned itself as a pioneer in the preventive healthcare industry in the Philippines. “When people think about getting protected, we want them to automatically think about Immunizers,” declares Chua.

The Immunizers is now eyeing to take their services to other areas, starting with Southern Luzon. “Now that we have the operations and systems in place, we hope to expand and create branches in other regions,” shares Chua. “We’re working to have another branch, hopefully, by next year.”

For additional information on the Immunizers clinic, call 744-5552 to 53 or visit www.immunizers.com.ph