Over 95% of kids in Metro Manila immunized against polio

MANILA, Philippines — More than 1.2 million children in Metro Manila under the age of 5 were immunized against the life-threatening polio disease during the two-week simultaneous vaccination campaign of the Department of Health (DOH).

According to a DOH report, 95.63 percent of the 1.27 million children between zero and 59 months in the National Capital Region received the polio vaccine during the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” from Oct. 14 to 27. The campaign was also held in selected areas in Mindanao.

In Metro Manila, the Makati City government posted the highest coverage rate for the oral polio vaccine (OPV) with 106.76 percent, followed by Taguig with 105.91 percent and Quezon City with 103.93 percent. (The coverage rate went beyond 100 percent because the children who were immunized exceeded the target).

Other cities with a high coverage rate were Pateros (101.41 percent), Marikina (100.82 percent), Muntinlupa (100.1 percent), Navotas (99.8 percent), Mandaluyong (97.46 percent), Valenzuela (96.7 percent) and Pasay (95.64 percent).

The seven remaining Metro cities did not reach a 95-percent target vaccine coverage rate which would allow a community to develop herd immunity to control the spread of a disease.

Manila posted the lowest with 82.96 percent. Las Piñas had 84.22 percent, Malabon (85.05 percent), San Juan (86.89 percent), Caloocan (92.43 percent), Pasig (92.93 percent) and Parañaque (93.31 percent).

Simple but effective

In a statement on Sunday, Makati Mayor Abby Binay lauded the parents who cooperated with the city government during the weekslong vaccination drive. “It is a simple but truly effective way to prevent a full resurgence of polio in the country,” she said.

“Polio is no joke. It is a crippling and painful condition that we do not want our children to experience and bear for the rest of their lives. It may keep them from being happy and productive, and from leading normal lives,” Binay added.

The country was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2000, but two new cases were confirmed in September following a dip in OPV coverage. Last week, the DOH confirmed a third case from Datu Piang in Maguindanao province.