Keep the Philippines polio-free and at the same time, begin a similar effort with measles. With these objectives, the Department of Health (DOH), through its National Immunization Program, has intensified its campaign to educate more parents and guardians about vaccine-preventable diseases and inform them of the free vaccination being offered in all health centers nationwide.
“Without vaccines, epidemics of many preventable diseases could return, resulting in increased—and unnecessary—illness, disability, and death,” reminded Health Undersecretary Janette Garin.
She reported that through the “Reaching Every Barangay” campaign, children less than 5 years old, especially those living in far-flung areas, are now being immunized against childhood tuberculosis, rotavirus, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, and Diphtheria-Pertusis-Tetanus-Hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenza as well as from pneumonia.
“We are also doing road tour activities, and in fact finished six already: in several areas of Quezon City, Sison in Surigao del Norte, San Jose and Loreto in Dinagat Island in Mindanao, and just recently in Palo and Tacloban City in Leyte,” she reported.
She added that the DOH has recently hired additional 11,000 nurses—who are trained vaccinators—and deployed them all over the country to help inform parents and guardians that no child and infant should die of a vaccine-preventable disease.
“The science is in, the tests have been done, the results are solid: vaccinations do not cause conditions like autism in children. What vaccines do is save the lives of thousands of children who would otherwise be suffering the effects of preventable diseases. One of these effects can be death,” reminded Garin.
Just like what has been achieved against polio, the DOH is hoping it could also eliminate measles. “The Philippines remains committed to measles elimination, as demonstrated through key programs including ‘Reaching Every Purok’ to strengthen routine immunization; and introduction of second dose Measles-Mumps-Rubella and Other Measles-Containing Vaccines in Routine Immunization for infants in 2012.”
94-percent reduction
She also shared that when the nationwide expansion of measles immunization service was initiated between 1983 and 2013, the country had achieved a 94-percent reduction in the number of cases.
“The national reported routine immunization coverage for the first dose of measles vaccine in 2013 was 91 percent, while the coverage for the second dose is also further increasing (supplementary immunization campaigns are being conducted every three to four years). Furthermore, this Sept. 1, we will implement a nationwide mass immunization against measles, and our target is to increase the coverage rate to 95 percent,” said Garin.
Despite the fact that the Philippines has been polio-free for the past 14 years, the DOH will still provide 13 million doses of oral polio vaccines to target infants up to 5 years old (regardless of immunization status).
“The objective here is to protect the Philippines against the spread of imported wild polio virus in view of country’s current status of being polio-free,” she said.
Considering that polio is still endemic in three remaining countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, there is still a chance that the virus could enter the country via individuals coming from these areas, she said.
“The government, with all its resources, is doing what it can to make the vaccines available to our children. While a coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop this international spread of wild poliovirus, we also hope that our parents will be our partners here,” said Garin.