THE Department of Health (DOH), together with the city of Parañaque, on Tuesday officially launched the National Ligtas Tigdas Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA) to halt the ongoing transmission of measles, especially among unvaccinated children and pregnant women.
The Philippines is currently experiencing an increasing trend of measles cases based on the latest report of the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau.
From January 1 to April 14, 5,450 measles cases were recorded nationwide with 905 confirmed cases and 15 deaths. Among the 15 reported deaths, 13 were among those unvaccinated, one was vaccinated but had an unknown number of doses and the remaining case had an unknown status of vaccination.
The pockets of measles outbreaks started in the last quarter of 2017 and continue up to the present. Outbreak Response Immunization activities were conducted but, despite ongoing outbreak response immunizations in affected areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Mindanao, measles transmission continued.
To counter the continuing rise of measles cases, the DOH is heightening its measles vaccination through the SIA targeting infants and children six months to 59 months of age with measles containing vaccine regardless of immunization status.
“As we launch the Ligtas Tigdas campaign here in Metro Manila, we hope to reach all parents, caregivers and guardians emphasizing the life-saving benefits of measles vaccination. We call all parents and caregivers to allow their children ages six months to 59 months to be vaccinated starting April 25 to May 24, 2018, for NCR and on May 9 to June 8, 2018, for Mindanao,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The DOH is committed to strengthening the immunization program and reaching every child in every barangay. Hence, the DOH shall provide free measles vaccination for this SIA. “I would like to reiterate to the public, especially to the parents and guardians, that the measles vaccine is safe, and we have been doing this since the 1970s. Measles vaccination has saved millions of lives. Let us all protect the health of all Filipino children through vaccination against measles,” Duque added.