The Department of Health (DOH) has urged parents to have their children vaccinated against amidst the surge of measles cases. The agency has logged 1,185 cases of the disease from Jan. 1 to March 15 this year, up by 27% from the 930 cases recorded in the same period last year.
National Capital Region has the highest number of cases with 295, followed by Central Luzon with 150 and Calabarzon with 144. The DOH said 802 cases, or 68 percent, are children who have not been inoculated.
The department said it is ramping up immunization efforts to prevent a further rise in cases. “Routine immunization is underway in all regions for children aged 0 to 12 months to protect them from various diseases, including measles. Under this campaign, the first dose of measles vaccine is given on the ninth month and the second dose on the 12th month,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa fxplained.
He added that the DOH is intensifying catch-up immunization efforts in some regions for children aged 13 to 59 months who have not completed their routine immunization.
“Go to the nearest health center to know the schedule of vaccination. Safe and effective vaccines are still the best way to protect against the disease and its complications,” Herbosa added.
Recently, Malacañang called on the public to participate in the government’s intensified measles catch-up immunization program dubbed “Bakunahan sa Purok ni Juan.”
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro, said the measles catch-up inoculation drive is carried out in health centers in the cities of Caloocan, Quezon, Taguig, Manila, Mandaluyong, and Las Piñas. (With PNA)