‘Parents urged to vaccinate children’
THE CITY HEALTH OFFICE of Zamboanga has urged parents to have their children immunized against polio, a highly contagious disease transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
The Department of Health (DOH) announced a polio outbreak in the Philippines on September 19. Polio is caused by the poliovirus and may result in life-long paralysis and even death, but it is vaccine-preventable.
Zamboanga City has begun its anti-polio vaccination driver. City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite said vaccination is very important to prevent for children to prevent polio. “For us to be protected, necesita kita manda man bakuna con diaton maga bata,” she said, adding, vaccinations are safe and proven effective.
Miravite said the polio virus, along with other vaccine-preventable diseases, is always found in the environment which makes vaccinations vital for protection and lasting immunity.
For polio, three doses are needed by children under one-year-old for full protection against the virus, she said. “Constant hand washing and sanitary preparation of food and drinks are additional ways to prevent polio,” she added.
Following the polio outbreak, the DOH launched the “Synchronized Polio Vaccination” campaign which aims to boost immunization coverage against polio by giving three doses of the oral polio vaccine to all children 5 years old and below, regardless of their immunization status.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque said full vaccination against the poliovirus is the best way to prevent the transmission of the disease. “We urge all parents and caregivers, health workers, and local government units to protect their children and communities against the poliovirus by participating in the synchronized vaccination in high-risk areas in Mindanao,” Duque said.
He said the campaign will be expanded to the whole of Mindanao on November 25 and concluded with the last round of vaccination on January 6 next year.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, of the Public Health Services Team, said there is no cure for polio, but it can only be prevented with three doses of the polio vaccine. “Vaccination is the best way to protect your child against vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and tuberculosis, among others,” Vergeire said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are also supporting the government’s synchronized polio vaccination campaign.
“The polio outbreak is a wakeup call for the Philippines. We must act now to protect children against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization,” said acting WHO Representative in the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe.
“To stop this outbreak, we aim to reach nearly two million children within two weeks. We will work closely with the Department of Health to achieve this target. We need bayanihan from everyone – the parents and caregivers, mayors, governors, community and religious leaders, health workers, volunteers, and media partners,” Abeyasinghe added.
The Philippines has seen a decline of immunization coverage in the past few years, including for protection against polio. In 2018, at least 66% of children completed their oral polio vaccine (drops) doses and 45% received their inactivated polio vaccine (injection) dose. At least 95% of children under 5 years old need to be vaccinated, irrespective of their current vaccination status, to stop the spread of polio in the country.
“Every child under 5 years old in these priority areas needs to be vaccinated now. There is no alternative to protect children from the risk of polio than vaccinating them.The polio vaccine is safe and effective. UNICEF is working with WHO to support DOH meet the country’s immunization targets,” said Oyun Dendevnorov, UNICEF Philippines Representative. (Zamboanga Post)
Like Us on Facebook: The Mindanao Examiner
Like Us on Facebook: The Zamboanga Post
Follow Us on Twitter: Mindanao Examine
Read And Share Our News: Mindanao Examiner Website
Mirror Site: Mindanao Examiner Blog
Digital Archives: Mindanao Examiner Digital
Media Rates: Advertising Rates
