WHO, DOH start mass vaccination vs polio, measles in Yolanda-hit areas

The World Health Organization and the Philippine Department of Health on Friday launched a mass vaccination effort against polio and measles in areas affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda. The DOH said mass immunization and vitamin A supplementation were immediate health priorities following a natural disaster. With evacuees living in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, there was a danger that contagious diseases like measles would spread quickly. WHO Representative in the Philippines Dr. Julie Hall said that measles can be deadly, especially among young children. "Large numbers of non- or under-vaccinated children are at risk of contracting and spreading infectious diseases such as measles—particularly in congested areas where the homeless are now living,” Hall explained . Meanwhile, the WHO said that as of 2013, only three countries - Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan - remain polio-endemic. "[But] as long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio. Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in as many as 200 000 new cases every year, within 10 years, all over the world," the United Nations health agency said. Plans The DOH said the vaccination campaign will target children in areas hardest hit by Yolanda, starting with the evacuation centers in Tacloban City and receiving centers in Cebu. Children under five years old will not only be vaccinated, they will also be given Vitamin A drops to boost their immune systems. WHO is working with DOH to finalize plans and procure all necessary vaccines and supplies to carry out the campaign and set up immunization stations. Teams of volunteer nurses are deploying to Tacloban this weekend, the DOH said. For its part, WHO is working with partners to arrange for the delivery of vaccines using gas-powered and generator-powered refrigerators, freezers, vaccine-cases, cold boxes and ice packs. Such a “cold chain” is needed to keep the vaccines from spoiling. USAID has sent six solar-driven refrigerators to Tacloban. Tetanus National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Enrique Tayag said the DOH has sent experts from San Lazaro Hospital to Tacloban to assist in the care of tetanus patients. Tayag said wounds sustained in Yolanda should be considered tetanus-prone, and all patients should get both an antitetanus serum, plus a tetanus toxoid. Tetanus symptoms appear as early as three days after the injury. Symptoms include lock jaw, difficulty swallowing and seizures. "The risk of dying from tetanus increases if symptoms appear within the week after the injury," he said. Health authorities in Yolanda-affected areas are also on the lookout for leptospirosis cases. — DVM, GMA News