MANILA, Philippines — A total of 7,281 children across Metro Manila and Mindanao have been given polio vaccines so far during the door-to-door vaccination drive of the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) reported Tuesday.
PRC volunteers joined the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio campaign which kicked off Monday and conducted door-to-door vaccination for children with ages 0 to 5.
As of October 15, Tuesday, 3 p.m., a total of 7,281 children have been vaccinated in the following areas:
- Manila – 377 children
- Pasay – 1,523 children
- Quezon City – 906 children
- Navotas – 220 children
- Las Piñas – 599 children
- Valenzuela – 315 children
- Taguig – 769 children
- Muntinlupa – 594 children
- San Juan – 178 children
- Malabon – 304 children
- Davao City – 1,458 children
- Davao del Sur – 38 children
According to the PRC, a total of 550 volunteers have been deployed to join the campaign, with each vaccination team composed of four members—a team leader, a health educator, a recorder, and a vaccinator.
Citing the health department, the PRC said a 95 percent decline in polio vaccination among children below five years old was recorded in 2018.
“It is through the power of [our] pool of volunteers that the Red Cross can help our partners in fighting polio in the ‘Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio,’” said Sen. Richard J. Gordon, the Chairman and CEO of PRC. /muf