DOH wants wider measles vaccination coverage
Iloilo City (28 September) -- The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) regional office here recommended that a 2nd dose measles vaccination be conducted also to cover other provinces in Western Visayas after cases of the disease were recently reported in these areas.
Anti-measles vaccination was done in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in 2008 after an outbreak of the disease occurred in one of its municipalities.
The vaccination activity was also conducted in Iloilo and Iloilo City this year after the occurrence of seven confirmed cases.
Based on the Measles Surveillance Report of the Regional Epidemiological Unit of DOH-CHD here, Iloilo province registered three and the city 1 more cases as of September 24. Cases in the other affected areas of Negros Occidental, Guimaras and Capiz remained at 1 each for this year.
DOH-CHD Regional Director Ariel Valencia wants the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Guimaras to also receive the second dose to protect their children who are 12-23 months old from the disease.
Measles is a very infectious illness caused by the rubeola virus. The virus lives in the mucus of the nose and throat of an infected child or adult. The infected person is contagious for four days before the rash appears, and continues so for about four to five days afterwards.
The symptoms of the endemic disease invariably include fever, together with at least one of the so-called three C’s (cough, coryza, conjunctivitis). Symptoms will appear about 9-11 days after infection.
DOH-CHD encouraged all hospitals in the region to conduct immunization activities in their respective Out-Patient Departments to children who are about to be discharged after proper screening.
Valencia also requested all government agencies, the private sector, and all partner agencies to help disseminate the information.
Valencia said measles vaccination can be administered on children as early as the age of six months. In this case, a repeat vaccination should be done at nine months old.
Vaccination of children against measles is part of the government’s efforts to reduce child mortality in keeping with its commitments under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In September 2000, member states of the United Nations (UN) gathered at the Millennium Summit to affirm commitments towards reducing poverty and the worst forms of human deprivation. The Summit adopted the UN Millennium Declaration which embodies specific targets and milestones or MDGs in eliminating extreme poverty worldwide. (PIA 6-JSC) [top]
