DOH to vaccinate 2 M kids against measles

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) will embark tomorrow on an eight-day mission to vaccinate some two million children against measles in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. 

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the “catch up vaccination” is intended to capture children aged six months to three years.

The measles vaccination campaign will be held in the metropolis and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon and Pampanga. 

These areas were chosen due to the increasing cases of measles, low vaccine coverage and high population.

The DOH had earlier declared measles outbreak in some barangays in Metro Manila.

Ona said the measles vaccination would be held at public health centers from Monday to Friday, starting at  8 a.m. to 12 noon.

The health chief added that through the program, dubbed â€œGoodbye Tigdas,” they hope to prevent more measles outbreaks.

He said they also hope to vaccinate children who missed their routine measles immunization, which requires two doses of anti-measles vaccine starting at nine months old and again at one-year-old. 

Ona urged the local government units to step up their immunization not only for measles but for other vaccine-preventable diseases as well. 

The DOH will conduct a massive immunization campaign against measles in September benefiting some 13 million children aged nine months to four years. 

DOH records showed that from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2013, there were 6,497 suspected measles cases nationwide with 23 deaths. Of the figure, only 2,232 cases have been confirmed in laboratory.