DOH extends measles-rubella-polio campaign until October 10

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From the Department of Health:

The Department of Health (DOH) today announced that children who did not receive the supplemental dose of measles, rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) can still go to health centers and vaccination posts until October 10, 2014.

“We are appealing to parents and caregivers who know that children aged 0-5 years old under their care have not received the vaccines to go to the nearest health center to have them immunized,” Secretary Enrique Ona said.

As of September 30, the country’s national coverage status reached 84% (or 9.6M) of the 11 million eligibles for MR and 81% (10.9M) of the 13 million eligibles for OPV.

Among the regions, the top achievers for both MR and OPV vaccinations are Caraga region with 91%, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 90%, Region 11 (Davao) and Region 12 (SOCCKSARGEN) both with 87%, and Region 5 (Bicol) with 86%.

Among the provinces, the local chief executives reported the following achievements for MR: Lanao del Sur – 112%, Agusan del Sur – 100%, Saranggani – 100%, Surigao del Sur – 96%, and Nueva Vizcaya – 96%. For OPV, the provinces reported the following: Lanao del Sur – 110%, Agusan del Sur – 98%, Saranggani – 95%, Surigao del Sur – 94%, and Davao Oriental – 93%.

The top cities, on the other hand, reported that for MR the top performers are: Cebu City – 128%, Dapitan City – 119%, Tandag City – 117%, Calamba City – 107%, and San Fernando City – 103%. For OPV, the top cities are Cebu City – 126%, Tandag City – 117%, Dapitan City – 107%, Lapu-lapu City – 102%, and Calamba City – 101%.

Subsequently, the DOH together with private volunteers, World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control, and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints will be continuing the rapid coverage assessment and door to door surveillance and mop-up activities to verify whether the target of reaching every purok strategy has been reached.

Fifty one percent of those who have not brought their children to vaccination posts claim that the mothers are busy.

“We are appealing to these mothers to give priority to vaccination. Nakamamatay kapag kulang ang bakuna. Magtulungan tayo upang protektahan ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. There are still pockets of areas where there are children who have not yet been vaccinated, therefore, we are urging the mothers and caregivers of these to have them vaccinated at the nearest health center even as we conduct mop up vaccinations,” the health chief concluded.

doh.gov.ph