ZAMBOANGA CITY – The City Health Office announced that 42,904 children have already been immunized with Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) vaccines in the ongoing catch-up immunization campaign in the city.
The catch-up immunization was launched on February 19 following the declaration of measles outbreak here. The immunization campaign ends on March 23.
Dr. Ivy Rozeth Saavedra-Iturralde, City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (CESU) head, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that those immunized with MMR vaccines are children aged six to 59 months.
The City Health Office aims to immunize 121,928 children with MMR vaccine during the catch-up immunization.
The immunization is being done at the health centers and health workers also undertake a door-to-door campaign with the participation of the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS).
Meales immunization posts have also been established at the Zamboanga Doctors Hospital, West Metro Medical Center, Zamboanga Peninsula Medical Center, and Ciudad Medical Zamboanga.
Iturralde disclosed that they have so far recorded 256 suspected cases of measles with five deaths since January.
She said that 10 of the city’s 98 barangays recorded high number of measles cases. These are Sangali, Busay, San Jose-Cawa-Cawa, Arena Blanco, Mercedes, Calarian, Camino Nuevo, Sta. Catalina, Putik, and Guiwan.
Meanwhile, Iturralde said they have to convince parents who refused to have their children immunized with MMR vaccines.
She added that they recorded 1,417 children whose parents did not allow them to be vaccinated.
The catch-up immunization is a pro-active measure undertaken by the City Health Office to prevent the spread of measles.
Measles is a highly communicable viral illness transmitted via direct contact with nasal or throat secretion of an infected person; or by articles freshly soiled with nose and throat secretion.
Aside from vaccination, the other ways of preventing the disease from spreading include the isolation of an infected person to prevent contact with the community. (PNA)
