Measles outbreak in BARMM contained, vaccination campaign still on

COTABATO CITY — The recent measles outbreak in the Bangsamoro region that affected almost 700 children has been addressed and the regional government’s vaccination campaign remained to prevent its repeat, a senior health official said.

Three children perished in the outbreak from March to April this year.

BARMM's health minister, the physician-ophthalmologist Kadil Monera Sinolinding Jr., told reporters, at a Philippine Information Agency-12 forum Tuesday that the outbreak declaration had been lifted several weeks ago.

“Even so, our vaccination efforts are still on as a mitigation measure,” Sinolinding, designated health minister by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim just in May, said.

Sinolinding said they have also facilitated the release of the overdue Health Emergency Allowance, or HEA, in recent weeks to health workers in BARMM’s six provinces and three cities. The HEA, which the national government issues, is a special incentive for the workers' involvement in programs protecting local communities from COVID-19 pandemic since 2020.

"That, we did in the most transparent manner," Sinolinding said.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao covers the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato.

Tuesday's PIA-initiated forum at a local function facility was hosted by Shahana Joy Duerme Mangasar, the agency's information center manager for Cotabato province.