MANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organization (WHO) has underscored the importance of vaccination against measles and rubella for Filipino children to prevent further spread and avoid health complications that can also lead to death.
This statement is in line with the Ligtas Tigdas supplemental immunization activity of the Department of Health (DOH) which kicked off last Jan. 19 in Mindanao. The agency also shared that the supplemental immunization activity has so far catered to over one million children in Mindanao from Jan. 19 to Jan. 25.
READ: DOH eyes to vaccinate 1.7M more Mindanao kids vs measles, rubella
Dr. Eunyong Ko, WHO country representative, expressed support for the DOH’s vaccination program, encouraging Filipino children aged six to 59 months to get their anti-measles shot.
“We come together to protect our children and keep our communities safe from measles. Every child who is vaccinated during this campaign will be protected and will also help protect other families and communities around them by preventing the further spread,” Ko said in her speech issued by the DOH on Wednesday.
“Together, we can stop the spread of measles and protect every child from this horrible yet preventable disease,” Ko added.
READ: Measles-rubella cases rose by 32% last year — DOH
In a separate statement, the DOH noted that health workers are on standby to assist children who will experience mild side effects from vaccination.
The DOH earlier said that the cases of measles and rubella in the country rose to 5,123 from January to December 2025, 32 percent higher than the 3,880 cases recorded during the same period in 2024. /das