Tacloban city: The Department of Health (DOH) is set to vaccinate 445,961 children in Eastern Visayas this August as part of its nationwide measles-rubella supplemental immunization campaign. The effort aims to bolster the region's defenses against these infectious diseases.
According to Philippines News Agency, the campaign also includes Vitamin A supplementation and targets children aged 6 to 59 months, regardless of their prior immunization status. DOH - Eastern Visayas Director Exuperia Sabalberino emphasized the comprehensive nature of the initiative, stating, "We intend to cover all eligible children based on our actual master list. We have partnered with national government agencies and local government units since this requires a whole-of-government approach."
The campaign's target demographic includes 152,055 children from Leyte province, 80,304 from Samar, 66,396 from Northern Samar, 44,461 from Eastern Samar, 36,409 from Southern Leyte, 25,511 from Tacloban City, 23,701 from Ormoc City, and 17,124 from Biliran province.
"The DOH in Eastern Visayas is now in Phase 3 of the nationwide implementation. Through strategic local partnerships and meticulous planning, we are ensuring that all vaccination sites maintain the highest standards of clinical safety and operational efficiency," Sabalberino added.
Running from August 10 to 28, the supplemental immunization campaign is backed by sufficient vaccine supplies, ensuring effective coverage of the target population. DOH - Eastern Visayas National Immunization program manager Chiradee Claridad reported, "Our current supply is sufficient. We have 850,000 doses of measles-rubella vaccines available in the region. After the supplemental campaign in August, routine immunization will continue until the end of the year."
The DOH is encouraging parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free measles-rubella vaccines and Vitamin A supplementation by visiting the nearest health center or consulting with nurses, midwives, and barangay health workers in their communities.
Health officials reiterated the safety and efficacy of the measles-rubella vaccine, stressing its role as the primary protection against these viruses and their potentially life-threatening complications.
