BARMM to roll out house-to-house measles jabs

MANILA, Philippines — A house-to-house vaccination drive against measles will be launched in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

In a joint memorandum circular, the Department of Health and BARMM-Ministry of Health (MOH) said the intensified vaccination drive against measles would be conducted, especially in areas where access to vaccination sites is difficult.

“House-to-house vaccination utilizes the ‘suyod’ strategy wherein every dwelling or structure that is used or lived in by a family or small group of people is visited,” the DOH said.

It said the strategy is best utilized in areas where there is a wider distance between households and no strategic temporary vaccination post is available.

“House-to-house vaccination provides the opportunity to engage families and convince them of its benefits,” the DOH added.

The measles immunization drive from April 1 to 12 targets 1.3 million children six months to 10 years old.

A measles outbreak has been declared in BARMM after the region logged 1,481 of the 2,661 cases recorded nationwide from Sept. 10, 2023 to March 16.

Lanao del Sur had the most number of cases with 1,056 or 71 percent of the total cases.

The DOH said 95 percent of infants should receive two doses of measles vaccine at nine and 12 months of age during routine immunization.