DOH heightens drive against measles, polio

CEBU, Philippines - In line with the nationwide campaign against measles and polio, ten children in Cebu City initially received vaccinations yesterday against the two leading causes of child morbidity and mortality in the country.

The kickoff for the “Ligtas sa Tigdas. Magkaisa. Magpabakuna,” campaign in Cebu City started with a ceremonial vaccination and mass immunization at Tinago Barangay Sports Complex headed by authorities of the Department of Health-7 and Cebu City Health Office, in cooperation with Tinago barangay officials led by barangay captain Joel Garganera.

The goal of the month-long activity, which main implementing agency is the DOH, includes interrupting the transmission of measles and rubella, as well as protecting the population from the consequence of importation of wild polio viruses.

Children aged nine months to five years old are the target for the Measles Rubella vaccine while newborn children until the age of five are the recipients of the Oral Polio Vaccine.

In Central Visayas, the DOH allotted P30,377,300 for the MR-OPV MI.

On a national level, 11 million children will have to be vaccinated by the end of the 22-day MR immunization while 13 million for OPV.

Each day, 100 children must be vaccinated per area in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

Apart from the immunizing team, a separate team scours areas in the province to double check children who have not received the vaccine for some reasons.

The approach is identified by DOH as “Reaching Every Purok” strategy.

Based on the health authorities’ estimation, Cebu province (excluding component cities) has the most number of households reaching almost 400,000.

Cebu City has 191,234 households while Bogo has 14,190, Carcar with 28,719, Danao with 25,214, Naga with 21,909, Talisay with 44,549, Toledo has 32,100, Lapu-Lapu has 87,419 and Mandaue City 74,907.

Bohol province has 239,843 households while Tagbilaran city has 21,112.

Negros Oriental province has 159,414 households while its component cities have the following number of households: Bais 15,489, Bayawan 23,897, Canlaon 10,457, Dumaguete 25,851, Guihulngan 19,493 and Tanjay 16,584.

Siquijor province households are 19,034.

Yesterday’s event in Cebu was simultaneously done nationwide.

The main target of the MR-OPV mass immunization are those areas hit by natural disasters with a history of an outbreak or bordering outbreak incidence, among others.

Cebu City Health Officer Dr. Daisy Villa said their office will accommodate even those not registered residents of the city, saying they are not allowed to deny any eligible child from being vaccinated. (FREEMAN)