By Raymart Escopel
ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) has simultaneously kicked-off its Measles Rubella – Oral Polio Vaccine Mass Immunization in the different provinces of the region on Sept. 1 as part of its campaign to fight measles and polio.
The mass immunization here was held at Brgy. Concepcion-Duran where kids aged below five years old was vaccinated.
The mass immunization was part of the Department’s nationwide campaign and will run through the whole month of September.
According to DOH-6 Regional Director Marly Convocar, they have already listed 153 measles cases as of July.
The said number is considered big as compared to last year’s record of 237 measles cases. Convocar however noted that no cluster could trigger alert.
She added that the measles rubella vaccination targets 52,000 children, while the oral polio vaccine targets 61,000 children.
In the region, DOH-6 is targeting to vaccinate 863,000 children for measles rubella, while about one million children are targeted for oral polio vaccine.
In the whole country, the Department aims to vaccinate 11 million children for measles vaccine, while a total of 13 million children are targeted for oral polio vaccine.
Convocar noted that immunization is important as it will prevent aforementioned diseases. She also underscored that based on the data of DOH-6, of the 153 measles cases recorded, 66 percent were not vaccinated.
Furthermore, Convocar added that measles may lead to blindness and death due to pneumonia especially to children.
In line with that, the Department its urging each and every parent to bring their children under five years old to the nearest health centers.
DOH-6 aims to cover a minimum of 85 percent of the total target.
Aside from mass immunization, they will be also conducting door-to-door vaccination to reach their goal./PN
