GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Around 113,000 children here and nearby Sarangani province were vaccinated for measles and rubella during the mass supplemental immunization activity from May to June spearheaded by the Department of Health (DOH).
The figure was based on the recorded accomplishments of the local health offices in Sarangani and this city for the month-long activity, which was conducted from May 9 to June 8 in the entire Mindanao.
Razel Bustria, program manager for maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition of the Sarangani Provincial Health Office, said Tuesday their vaccination teams were able to cover around 64,000 children for the campaign.
She said such number represents about 96 percent of the 66,428 children aged six months to below five years old who were considered eligible for measles and rubella vaccination.
“This is the result of the determined efforts of our vaccination teams to cover all households in our communities,” she said.
Bustria said their vaccination teams were widely received by residents, especially those in remote villages.
Citing their effective health education campaigns, she said they did not experience resistance from parents due to fears brought about by the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia as experienced in other areas.
Bustria said the DOH-Region 12 has cited the province’s 96 percent accomplishment for the campaign as the highest in the entire Region 12.
She said the province has now topped the mass supplemental immunization drive for the fourth consecutive year.
The City Health Office here said it was able to cover a total of 49,528 children for the campaign within the area’s 26 barangays.
Dr. Rochelle Oco, city health officer, said such accomplishment represents 72.42 percent of the targeted 68,381 children population in the city.
She said the campaign started slow in some communities but their teams eventually managed to catch up with their targets.
Oco said their vaccination and health teams were able to cover most of the targeted households for the door-to-door drive despite the difficult situation brought about by the summer heat.
She said the participation rate among parents increased this year as most were convinced that the measles and rubella vaccines are safe.
“Their perception about the vaccines and the campaign have changed and are now more open-minded,” she said.
DOH launched the immunization campaign in response to the recorded measles outbreaks in parts of Mindanao early this year.
The agency recorded a total of 767 suspected measles cases in Region 12 or Soccsksargen from January to May, with 110 already confirmed.
It listed a total of nine deaths in the area, all involving unimmunized children. (PNA)
