ILOILO CITY — Six local government units in Western Visayas are targets of the Department of Health’s (DOH) supplemental immunization program, with the inclusion of measles vaccination.
Dr. Mary Jane Roches Juanico, the program coordinator of DOH 6 child health, on Monday identified these LGUs as San Jose in Antique; and Kabankalan, Binalbagan, Himamaylan, Ilog and Candoni in Negros Occidental.
She revealed that as of April 11 this year, Western Visayas already recorded 17 confirmed cases of measles. It only recorded one case in 2017.
Juanico said the towns of San Jose and Kabankalan have three confirmed measles cases each this year.
One case each was from towns of Culasi, Tibiao, Sebaste, Hamtic and Lau-an in Antique; Malay, Aklan; Guimbal, Miagao, Lambunao and Leganes in Iloilo; and Cauayan in Negros Occidental.
Three of the 17 cases were from the age group of less than nine months and three for nine to 12 months.
One case each was from age group one to five years old and 11 to 18 years old; two cases for six to 10 years old; and seven cases for more than 19 years old.
The DOH data further revealed that 9.53 percent of those who got infected by measles have no vaccination; 5.29 percent have received one dose of the immunization; while 3.18 percent have received two doses or more.
Juanico said the supplemental immunization in measles-affected LGUs will cover nine to 59-months-old children, whether or not they had been given previous immunization.
She said the program targets to cover some 60,000 children.
Meantime, the initiative will also cover some 4,000 six to eight months old children.
The DOH decided to include them, although not part of the routine immunization, because cases have been recorded in this age group.
Juanico said one dose guarantees them 60 to 75 percent protection.
The routine measles and rubella vaccination immunization covers nine and 12-months-old children. The two doses guarantee a 95-percent protection.
However, she warned of 15-percent failure in the vaccination, which will now be the target of the supplemental vaccination.
For the program to become successful, a modified fixed system will be adopted. This means that health workers will reach out to the target age group.
Health workers will also embark on a house-to-house campaign to be able to reach out to their desired clients.
Juanico explained that measles is a contagious disease.
The disease can be contracted through respiratory secretion. Among its clinical manifestations are high grade fever and general maculopapular rash. It may also manifests cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis or red and watery eyes.
She encouraged that proper infection control be observed if there are hospital admission, or patients are treated in other health facilities. (Perla Lena/PNA)
