MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DOH) has urged local governments to be more aggressive in their mass immunization programs against infectious diseases, saying that some areas of the country still registered low immunization rates.
“We need to be more aggressive. On our second week, we should have already reached 50 percent of our target,” said Health Undersecretary Janette Garin in a press briefing last week.
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The government is targeting a 95-percent measles vaccine coverage in every district with its intensified month-long mass immunization campaign, which aims to protect 11 million to 13 million children against measles, rubella and polio.
On the second week of the campaign, Garin announced the DOH had achieved an overall 44-percent immunization rate.
Garin said several cities needed to work double time to reach their measles and polio immunization targets.
In the National Capital Region, those that needed to step up their campaigns were Manila, Muntinlupa, Makati, Pasay and Malabon.
The 20 provinces that still needed to catch up were Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, Mindoro Oriental, Palawan, Dinagat Island, Bohol, Camarines Norte, Leyte, Ilocos Norte, Catanduanes, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Surigao del Norte, Aklan, Surigao del Sur, Cebu, Siquijor, La Union and Albay.
Garin said that among the reasons for the low turnout were: The eligible children were sick; the children had been vaccinated four weeks prior to the start of the campaign; religious or cultural beliefs; the mothers were consulting private pediatricians, and delays in reporting.
“We encourage other areas to double their efforts to catch up on other cities and provinces as there is still time to reach their goals before the month ends,” Garin said.
“The DOH has enough vaccines to make the Philippines a measles-free and polio-free country,” she added.
Based on DOH records, the 10 provinces that had immunized most of their targets against measles at 54 to 64 percent were Batanes, Bataan, Cagayan, Davao Oriental, Biliran, Zambales, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Ifugao and Ilocos Sur.
The top 10 provinces that had immunized the most kids against polio at 53 to 68 percent were Batanes, Biliran, Bataan, Davao Oriental, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, Apayao, Ifugao and Quezon.
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