ILOILO – The Provincial Health Office targets to cover 200,000 children in the province in its measles vaccine supplemental immunization program.
According to Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, PHO chief, all infants and children aged nine to 59 months old shall be given one dose of the measles vaccine to achieve “herd immunity.”
“Kon may herd immunity or 95 percent sang mga kabataan sa isa ka barangay nga nabakunahan kag may isa nga infected halin sa iban nga pungsod or banwa, gamay ang chances nga maglapta,” Quiñon explained.
She encouraged parents to have their children immunized during PHO’s month-long Measles-Rubella and oral polio mass immunization.
“Ang ginakampanya tani nga ang parents magadala sang ila kabataan sa mga strategic locations like barangay health stations and barangay halls para mabakunahan sa mga scheduled dates,” Quiñon said.
She assured parents that the measles vaccine is safe and effective.
“Rest assured ang aton vaccine is safe and ang aton personnel well-trained para magbakuna,” Quiñon said.
From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020, the PHO recorded 119 suspected measles cases.
The town of Concepcion had the most number of cases at 14, followed by Sara and Lambunao (13 cases each).
Other towns with a high number of cases were Ajuy (nine), Barotac Nuevo (eight), Barotac Viejo (seven), Pototan (seven), San Dionisio (six), Lemery (four), and Calinog (three).
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. The virus is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.
The towns that reported zero cases were Balasan, San Enrique, Cabatuan, Igbaras, Tubungan, San Joaquin, Dueñas, Banate, Badiangan, and Alimodian.
The affected age groups were 16 to 20 years old, 21 cases; 21 to 30 years old, 21 cases; 11 to 15 years old, 19 cases; nine to 11 months, 11 cases; less than nine months, 10 cases; six to 10 years old, 10 cases; 30 to 40 years old, 10 cases; one to five years old, nine cases; and 41 years old and above, eight cases./PN
