ZAMBOANGA CITY – Mass immunization has began for thousands of young children from displaced families in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines to protect them against measles, rubella and polio.
The immunization of children aged 0-5 years started this month and will run until October under the nationwide campaign to protect an estimated 11 million children from diseases. The International Committee of the Red Cross together with the Philippine Red Cross are supporting the primary health-care activities of the local government.
“Through this support, children of displaced families will be fully covered by the campaign. This support is part of our continued assistance to displaced persons in Zamboanga, which includes improving the health of vulnerable groups like infants and young children,”said Beatriz Karottki, the ICRC’s health coordinator in the Philippines.
Children of families displaced by rebel attacks last year have been staying in seven transitional sites are being vaccinated by four ICRC and PRC teams of volunteers, nurses and health staff augmenting the City Health Office immunization teams.
September was declared national immunization month by the Department of Health. A nationwide vaccination campaign called “Ligtas sa Tigdas at Polio” (Safe Against Measles and Polio) has been launched to reduce and eventually eliminate cases of measles and rubella, and to maintain the country’s polio-free status, achieved in 2000.
The ICRC has been providing assistance to thousands of people displaced in Zamboanga City since the onset of the crisis in September 2013, together with the National Society. It continues to improve access to clean water and sanitation at several temporary sites, and to enhance the health and nutrition of thousands of people who remain displaced.
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