TACLOBAN CITY –– The month-long supplemental immunization activity on measles rubella-oral polio vaccine has received a “good response” from the public in Eastern Visayas.
The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas reported that as of Friday, of the 457,763 children aged 9 to 59 months, 106,757 or 23 percent have received the measles-rubella vaccines.
For oral polio, 124,344 or 23 percent of the 535,657 children have received the vaccine.
DOH information officer Jelyn Malibago said the agency is confident it could achieve its target during the one-month long vaccination program.
“With this number, we could say that we have a good response from the mothers and caregivers of these children. We are hoping that this same response will continue until we reach 100% of our target,” she said.
Malibago said they would continue their campaign to inform mothers and caregivers that the vaccines are effective and safe.
“This is additional protection for our children. We also assure that the health workers are all observing infection prevention and control to avoid (contracting) COVID-19,” Malibago said.
In Northern Samar, Gov. Edwin Marino Ongchuan said the measles-rubella and oral polio vaccination could very well serve as a “stepping stone” for the vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez urged all the mothers to have their children vaccinated against the targeted ailments.
“This is for our children. The only way is to avail themselves of these vaccines that will protect us all,” Romualdez said.
In this city, 7,131, or almost 17 percent of the 24,414 children targeted for the measles-rubella vaccination, have received the vaccine. For oral-polio, 4,758, or almost 17 percent of the 28,581 targeted children have been inoculated.