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Duque condoles with parents of kids who died due to measles complications
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday expressed condolences to the parents of children who died due to complications from measles.
"Ako'y nakikiramay sa mga magulang," Duque said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.
The number of patients who died of measles at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila has climbed to 60 on Friday, with the latest one — a three-year-old child — perishing Thursday midnight.
Duque then underscored the need for vaccination against measles.
"Ang bakuna ay susi at solusyon sa pagpanaw ng mga bata dahil sa vaccine-preventable diseases," he said.
"Huwag nating talikuran ang bakuna dahil para ito sa kapakanan ng mga tao," Duque said.
The Health secretary also said he met with President Rodrigo Duterte and submitted evidence that the vaccination coverage of the Department of Health went down at the height of the Dengvaxia scare.
"Apat lang sa 10 indibidwal ang nagpapabakuna dahil pinagdududahan nila ang bakuna ng gobyerno. Nasira ang imahe ng immunization program ng gobyerno dahil sa isyu ng Dengvaxia," Duque said.
Sec. Duque: 4 lng sa 10 indibidwal ang nagpapabakuna dahil pinagdududahan nila ang bakuna ng gobyerno. Nasira ang imahe ng immunization program ng gobyerno dahil sa isyu ng Dengvaxia.
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 8, 2019
According to Duque, Duterte said the campaign for vaccination must be strengthened to convince parents of the benefits of having their children vaccinated.
Sec. Duque: Sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte na dapat palalimin ang kampanya para mabago ang isip ng mga magulang at maisip nila na mahalaga ang bakuna para bigyang proteksiyon ang mga anak nila laban sa mga nakamamatay na sakit.
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 8, 2019
Duque also said the DOH is coordinating with the Philippine Red Cross in its immunization activities.
Sec. Duque: Nakipag-ugnayan na kami sa Philippine Red Cross para tumulong sa mga immunization activities ng DOH.
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) February 8, 2019
The Health secretary then said there are enough vaccines in the DOH's supply.
"Nananawagan ako sa mga magulang na dalhin agad sa mga health center ang mga anak para makapagpabakuna. Ito po ay libre at epektibo. Ginastusan ito ng gobyerno mula sa buwis na inyong ibinabayad," he said.
"Huwag na tayong mag-alinlangan. And isyu ng Dengvaxia ay huwag nating ikalito para mawalan ng tiwala sa mga tradisyonal na bakuna na ibinibigay ng gobyerno," Duque said.
The Health secretary said adults can also have measles, but the complications are worse in children.
Among the possible complications of measles which may lead to death are pneumonia and encephalitis.
Dr. Philip Tan, in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, explained that measles is transmitted via droplets — "'pag ikaw ay naghahatsing o nauubo."
The symptoms include fever, runny nose, dry cough, eyes that redden. After 3-5 days, rashes will break out. "Parang tuldok tuldok na namumula. Nagsa-start sa mukha pababa ng katawan hanggang paa," Tan said.
He added that pregnant women should be extra careful that they do not become infected as measles may affect the baby in their womb.
On Wednesday, Duque confirmed the measles outbreak in the National Capital Region with a notable 550 percent increase in patients contracting the virus from January 1 to February 6 this year compared to the same period in 2018.
Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag on Thursday said they already raised a measles alert across the country. —KG, GMA News
