BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, August 27 (PIA) --- The Department of Health (DOH-7) in Central Visayas aims to immunize 1.8M children ages nine to 59 months old for measles, rubella and polio during its massive nationwide immunization campaign in September dubbed as "Ligtas sa Tigdas, Magkaisa, Magpabakuna."
DOH-7 child health program coordinator, Dr. Emmelie Pflieder Silao said for both measles and rubella, the target for Region 7 in next month’s massive immunization drive is 840, 555 children ages nine to 59 months old or almost five years of age.
Rubella is commonly known as German measles and shares common manifestations with measles but to a lesser degree, said Silao during the weekly Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) forum.
For polio, Silao said the target for Central Visayas is much higher with 986,739 children at birth until 59 months of age.
“We are urging mothers to bring their children ages nine to 59 months old to the nearest barangay health center anytime next month to have them vaccinated against measles, rubella and polio,” said Silao.
Silao said the massive immunization drive in September provides an opportunity for parents whose children have not been vaccinated and to halt the continuing circulation of the measles virus and protect the country from poliovirus importation.
Measles cases in Central Visayas however, witnessed a drastic increase from January 1 to August 16 with 1,098 recorded cases this year compared to the same period last year with only 93 cases or a significant rise of 92 percent.
“Cebu has the most number of the 1,098 cases with Cebu City alone having over 400 measles cases followed by Negros Oriental, Bohol and lastly, Siquijor,” revealed Renan Cimafranca of the DOH-7 Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit.
Cimafranca on the other hand, added the case fatality rate of measles is less than one percent.
For both measles and rubella, the common symptoms are fever, headache, runny nose, red eyes, rashes, joint pain and cough, said Cimafranca but measles manifest hi-grade fever and redder rashes than rubella.
Pneumonia is the most common complication of measles as parents are urged to immediately seek medical help when manifestations occur, advised Cimafranca. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-7)