THE Persian physician Al Razi published “The Book on Smallpox and Measles” in the Middle Ages, the first to describe in detail the symptoms of smallpox and measles.
Measles is a highly contagious, infectious disease that can spread rapidly. Nine out of 10 people who are not immune and who share living space with an infected person will contract measles. No other preventable disease causes as many deaths as measles.
However, after one dose of the measles vaccine, 85 percent of children nine months of age and 95 percent over 12 months of age are immune. Nearly all of those who do not develop immunity after a single dose develop it after a second dose. Nearly 90 percent of children worldwide are being currently vaccinated. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about $0.70 (P35) per dose.
Measles vaccination resulted in an 84-percent drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2016 worldwide. During the period from 2000 to 2016, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 20 million deaths, making the measles vaccine one of the best investments in public health. The measles vaccine is estimated to prevent 1 million deaths every year.
Why then are we reading headlines like this? “At least 18 Lumad children die from suspected measles in Sarangani town.” “World Health Organization: Measles cases in PH up 367 percent.” This is completely unacceptable. Measles is virtually 100-percent preventable, and deaths from this disease should not happen, especially to the youngest and most vulnerable of our population.
Except in the most remote areas of the nation, children—all the children—must be vaccinated.
Here are the data: The “World Health Organization said there are 17,298 reported measles cases in the Philippines from January to November 2018 alone, a huge leap from the 3,706 reported measles cases for the same period in 2017.”
There can be only two reasons: Either the Department of Health (DOH) is not doing its job, or parents are not doing their job to protect their children.
Earlier this year in April, the DOH launched its “Ligtas Tigdas” program to curb the spread of measles through the provision of free vaccination among infants and children six to 59 months old. This came after 4,168 measles cases were reported nationwide from January 1 to March 26. After the last measles mass immunization in 2004, measles transmission nationwide significantly dropped.
However, “Department of Health authorities in Region 7 [Central Visayas] have lamented the low turnout of children availing themselves of the government’s measles-immunization program in the four provinces of Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol and Negros Oriental.”
Part of the reason as stated by Dr. Socrates Villamor is, “We have a big problem with regards our immunization program because of the Dengvaxia controversy since last year, that’s why we need the media’s help in informing our populace in disseminating the information that the vaccine for measles is safe, potent and effective since more than three decades ago with no record of serious side effects.”
That is also unacceptable. As Dr. Villamor said, the press and media need to step up to help solve this problem. It is interesting that some of the news outlets that are most vocal about the importance of a free press have been absolutely silent on this issue since the Ligtas Tigdas began. Perhaps there is no political-agenda mileage to be gained by encouraging parents to vaccinate their children from this potentially killer disease.