DOH starts new immunization drive

The Department of Health (DOH) will roll out in Mindanao and in five regions in Luzon its monthlong immunization program for babies and toddlers against measles, rubella and polio.

The DOH said the first phase of the nationwide Measles, Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity will be conducted from Oct. 26 to Nov. 25.

This will cover all the regions in Mindanao, the Cordillera Administrative Region and the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa and Bicol.

The immunization program will be conducted in the rest of the country in February next year.

The campaign targets to vaccinate at least 95 percent of infants and children ages 9-59 months for the measles-rubella vaccine, and newborns up to 59 months old for the bivalent oral polio vaccine.

The DOH urged mothers and caregivers to bring their children who are 5 years old and younger to the nearest health center or designated temporary vaccination posts starting on Monday.

The nationwide immunization program seeks to prevent a measles outbreak in the coming months and end the ongoing poliovirus transmission and recirculation in the country, said the DOH.

On Thursday, the DOH formally launched the nationwide immunization program in San Fernando, La Union, with the National Task Force Against COVID-19, the Ilocos Center for Health Development and the La Union local government unit.