By Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA
BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) is setting up fast lanes in barangay health centers to accommodate suspected measles patients as cases in the city reached 53 from January 1 to February 10 this year.
Dr. Maria Carmela Gensoli, city health officer, said in a press briefing on Monday that she would issue a memorandum within the day for all health centers to put in place their response to measles cases.
“I have instructed the health centers and the main dispensary for our measles fast lanes to prioritize those who have high-grade fever and rash for admission,” she said.
Records showed the 53 suspected measles cases include patients between three months and 45 years old recorded in the first six weeks of 2019. Last year, the CHO started receiving reports of measles cases only in March.
Since January 1 this year, suspected measles cases have been reported in the city’s 22 villages.
Seven cases were reported in Barangay Taculing while six were monitored in Barangay Mansilingan. Barangays 14 and Bata had four cases each while Barangays 35, Alijis, Estefania, Handumanan and Granada had three each. Barangays Villamonte, Vista Alegre, Singcang-Airport and Tangub had two cases each.
Nine other villages reported one case each.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said the city government has sufficient anti-measles vaccines for the target age-groups.
“Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease, which means it can be prevented through immunization and no other else,” Tan said.
Target groups include infants aged six, nine and 12 months who can be brought to the barangay health centers for free measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization every Wednesday.
Those not included in these age-groups such as children above one-year-old and below five years old, and school children in Grades 1 and 7, who missed the school-based immunization, can also visit the health centers for their anti-measles shots.
“Just bring them to the health centers. We still have available vaccines for them,” Tan said.
For those who prefer to be immunized in private medical clinics, they can get a shot of MMR vaccine for PHP1,300 to PHP1,500.
Dr. Rosalie Deocampo, medical coordinator of National Immunization Program, said the CHO also conducted a door-to-door measles vaccination in November and December last year for infants and children aged six months to 59 months.
“We covered them since they are expected to be the most vulnerable,” Deocampo said.
