DOH vaccine program covers 897K children in Region 1

SOME  897,317 infants and children up to 59 months old from the four provinces of Ilocos Region have been vaccinated against measles and rubella, and given oral polio vaccine as of Dec.14.  

 

Based on the report of the Department of Health Center for Health and Development Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) Wednesday, some 50,525 infants and children have been vaccinated against measles and rubella in Ilocos Sur; 43,183 in Ilocos Norte; 51,468 in La Union; and 273,815 in Pangasinan, including the chartered city of Dagupan. 

 

For the oral polio vaccine, Ilocos Sur covered 57,153 infants and children; 59,638 in La Union; 48,503 in Ilocos Norte; and 313,032 in Pangasinan.

 

The overall measles-rubella immunization program covered 96.99 percent. Among the four provinces, Ilocos Norte had the highest coverage with 100.15 percent, followed by Pangasinan with 99.37 percent.

 

The report added there are still 13,000 infants and children to be vaccinated with measles-rubella.

 

For the oral polio vaccine, the overall coverage is at 94.73 percent. Pangasinan had the highest coverage with 97.27 percent, followed by Ilocos Norte with 95.71 percent.

 

There are still 26,593 infants and children to be given the oral polio vaccine.

 

“The parents’ confidence in the immunization program has now returned as the DOH continuously conducts information dissemination with the help of other government agencies and the local government units,” DOH-CHD-1 information officer Dr. Rheuel Bobis said in an interview Wednesday.

 

Bobis said they continue to assure the parents that the vaccines being used in the immunization program of the government are “proven safe and effective” as these were used for several years ago now by different countries.

 

“The parents have now realized that the diseases (measles, rubella, and polio) we are trying to prevent through the vaccines are the ones that can affect children and can even lead to death,” he added.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and DOH held the first phase of the measles, rubella, and polio vaccination campaign in the Ilocos Region from Oct. 26 to Nov. 25.

 

 “Polio and measles affect future generations. That is why, the President (Rodrigo Duterte) allowed us to conduct this campaign in the middle of this pandemic. The campaign is already approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force,” WHO representative Dr. Bezu Beshir said in a recent interview, adding they target to immunize 95 percent of eligible children. (By Hilda Austria)