CABUYAO CITY, Laguna (PIA) – The Department of Health has urged parents to have their children vaccinated against measles-rubella and polio noting an “alarming” rise in measles and rubella cases in Region IV-A in the first quarter of 2023.
Dr. Gloria Balboa, DOH Assistant Secretary for Health Policy and Infrastructure Development, said a slowdown in the vaccination of children was observed during the Covid19 pandemic and that cases of measles and rubella doubled for the first three months of the year.
From 30 cases in 2022, there are now 62 cases of measles and rubella in the Calabarzon region, from January 1-April 15, 2023, the DOH Center for Health Development IV-A said.
Balboa described the increase as alarming and urged parents to get their children immediately vaccinated.
“Ito yung i-spread nating news sa ating mga kapitbahay, sa ating mga kamag-anak na kapag meron silang mga chikiting na 0 to 59 months ay dalhin na po sa pinaka-malapit na health center para mabakunahan. Ito po yung isang pagpapatunay na mahal ninyo ang inyong mga anak,” Balboa said.
She added: “Magpasalamat po tayo na sa dami ng sakit, may mga sakit na pwedeng ma-preventan ng pagbabakuna. Meron tayong panlaban na pwedeng gamitin. So let’s avail of this, wag natin itong ipagwalang bahala.”
The government’s series of ceremonial immunization drive against measles-rubella and polio continued in Cabuyao City in Laguna on April 25 prior to the nationwide vaccination campaign next month.
In attendance were Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez, 2nd District Rep. Ruth Mariano Hernandez, Cabuyao City Mayor Dennis Hain, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) IV-A Regional Director Ariel Iglesia, representatives from the Philippine Pediatric Society-Southern Tagalog Chapter and local officials and employees.
Hundreds of parents together with their kids in superhero costumes attended the launching of the Chikiting Ligtas: Measles Rubella-Oral Polio Vaccine Supplementary Immunization Activity (MR-OPV SIA) at the Cabuyao Athletics Basic School (CABS), Brgy. Banay-banay, Cabuyao City.
The DOH targets to immunize at least 95% of children from nine months to 5 years old against measles and rubella, and children from 0 months to 5 years old against polio.
Cabuyao City Mayor Hain, meanwhile, thanked DOH IV-A and the DILG IV-A for their continued support to the communities in the region, and appealed to parents in the city to express their support to the initiatives being done by the government.
Governor Hernandez also showed his support to the programs of the DOH and DILG and reiterated the importance of public health in the province as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health remains the priority of his administration, according to the governor.
“Mga kalalawigan po natin sa Laguna, iisa po ang ating direksyon bawat siyudad bawat munisipyo isa ang ating direksyon. Priority natin ang kalusugan sa lalawigan ng Laguna.”
Under the MR OPV SIA 2023 campaign, the DOH will employ different strategies to reach the public. Personnel and volunteers will conduct house-to-house vaccination while free vaccines will be made available in health centers, markets, plazas, and malls. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
Hundreds of parents together with their kids in superhero costumes attended the launching of the Chikiting Ligtas: Measles Rubella-Oral Polio Vaccine Supplementary Immunization Activity (MR-OPV SIA) at the Cabuyao Athletics Basic School (CABS), Brgy. Banay-banay, Cabuyao City. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
