KIDAPAWAN CITY – A total of 13 cases of measles have been reported by health authorities in North Cotabato since January, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported on Friday.
Dr. Eva Rabaya, provincial health chief, said all 13 patients are safe, although some were still recovering in government hospitals and private infirmaries.
Rabaya, speaking over a local radio station, admitted that many parents have refused to have their children immunized due to the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine scare last year.
Following the Department of Health (DOH) declaration of a measles outbreak in Luzon, Rabaya has repeatedly urged the parents of children aged nine months and above to bring them to the nearest health station as soon as possible to prevent them from contracting the virus from other patients in the community.
“Please have your children vaccinated. It's safe and free,” she said, referring to the DOH anti-measles drive.
IPHO-North Cotabato will soon start a “house to house” initiative to ensure all children are immunized against the measles virus.
Six measles cases, meanwhile, were reported in South Cotabato.
All the cases were from Polomolok town. From January 1 to February 3 last year, Soccsksargen region had 40 measles cases, data from the DOH measles monitoring center showed.
Soccsksargen consists of the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos. (PNA)
