By Dennis Abrina/PNA
NOVELETA, Cavite — As the spread of the contagious measles disease placed rural health units (RHUs) in the Calabarzon region on heightened alert and monitoring, this smallest Cavite town has slated its month-long free immunization to children in its 16 villages here.
Mayor Dino Reyes Chua and RHU head Dr. Hilda Bucu on Monday announced the free vaccination for measles including anti-polio and vitamin A supplementation for children ages 6 months to 5 years old, saying these vaccines are safe to provide protection for their kids from the measles contagion.
“Nananawagan po ako sa aking mga kababayan dito sa Noveleta, na maaring makipagtulungan sa kani-kanilang mga health centers sa kanilang barangay para sa pagpapabakuna sa kanilang mga sanggol o baby (I am appealing to our Noveleta constituents to seek assistance from their health centers in every barangay for the vaccination of their infants and babies),” Chua said.
The mayor said barangay health workers have been mobilized in the respective villages to embark on house-to-house information campaign to encourage mothers to bring their children to local health centers from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
They also advised parents to bring the children’s vaccination record booklet to properly document and monitor the immunization program.
The health center in Barangay San Rafael IV has scheduled the vaccination on February 19-20, Barangay Salcedo 2 next on February 25-26, and Barangay Santa Rosa 1 on February 27-28.
The vaccination for children in San Juan 2 has been scheduled on March 1; San Antonio 2 – March 4; Poblacion Proper – March 5; San Rafael 3 – March 6-8; Barangay Magdiwang – March 11; Barangay Salcedo 1 – March 12; San Antonio 1 on March 13 – 15 and 18; San Jose 1 on March 19; San Jose 2 on March 20-21; Santa Rosa 2 – March 25; San Rafael 1 on March 26; San Rafael 2 on March 27-28; and San Juan 1 on March 29.
Calabarzon region is composed of five provinces –Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.