PH to hold measles, polio mass vaccination in NCR, Regions 3, 4A, Visayas
ABS-CBN News – Jan 25 2021 04:29 PM
MANILA — The Department of Health is gearing up for another round of mass immunization of children against measles and polio following the outbreaks in recent years.
“Phase 2 will be in February 1 to 28, 2021,” Dr. Maria Wilda Silva, DOH National Immunization Program Manager, said during a virtual briefing.
Silva said this will cover the National Capital Region, Region 3, Region 4A and all regions in Visayas.
A total of 4.7 million children under 5 years old are being targeted for the polio vaccine. This no longer includes NCR, which already had several rounds of the immunization campaign in 2018 and 2019.
A total of 5.1 million children 9 to 59 months old are targeted for the mentioned regions for the measles-rubella vaccine.
Silva said the country has been able to curb the spread of measles in the country after the outbreaks in previous years but there was a “disruption in the provision of routine immunization services” because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are still under this imminent measles outbreak,” she said. “As of now, we haven’t controlled the polio outbreak in the Philippines, and we are still doing some of the supplemental immunization.
Silva said more than half of the measles infection in recent years were of children below 5 years old and that they have difficulty ensuring that children receive their 2nd dose of the measles vaccine.
There are 16 polio cases in the country.
“Last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to say that we were successful in vaccinating more than 90% of the targeted 9- to 59-month old children for missiles, and rubella and more than, almost 90% for the (polio vaccine) in the select regions in the country,” Silva said.
Despite this, she said it is still possible that a big outbreak can happen, which is why the second phase will be held in February.
Among the challenges they face are the limitations due to the pandemic and vaccine hesitancy among parents.
She said vaccine hesitancy was seen in some areas in Mindanao and that they are already addressing it through communicating with the communities.
“This has been a very big problem in the past, she said referring to the rise in vaccine hesitancy after the dengvaxia controversy. “We are now reversing the situation.”
SOURCE: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/25/21/ph-to-hold-measles-polio-mass-vaccination-in-ncr-regions-3-4a-visayas
