Measles, polio vaccine drive in Eastern Visayas misses 100 percent target, extended until March 7

TACLOBAN CITY—The program to vaccinate children for German measles and polio has been extended until March 7 to reach 100 percent of its target, according to health officials.

The vaccination program for German measles, or measles-rubella, was scheduled to end last Feb. 28, said Jelyn Lopez Malibago, regional information officer of the Department of Health (DOH).

But since the campaign managed to hit just 70 percent of its target, officials decided to extend the program for another week, Malibago said.

The measles vaccine campaign reached only 76.74 percent of its target while that for German measles and polio reached only 76.25 percent, she said.

Malibago said officials were optimistic that the extension will help the program reach 100 percent of its target with the help of media and others in an information campaign.

“We remain positive that we can achieve our target with your help,” she said.

“Please continue to help us in disseminating information that these vaccines have been proven and tested to be safe and effective for 40 years,” she said, adding that the vaccines have “saved thousands of children from measles, rubella and polio.”

Malibago said parents and guardians still fear the vaccines’ side effects.

The DOH in the region has targeted 458,763 children aged nine to 59 months for the measles vaccination program but only 352,973 had received the shots. This means 106,690 have yet to be vaccinated.

For German measles and polio, the target was 403,103 children aged zero to 59 months. At least 132,554 children have yet to be vaccinated.

TSB