DOH wants continued measles vaccinations in Mindanao to boost immunity

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it will continue to push for measles-rubella vaccinations in Mindanao as the percentage of vaccinated children there is below the agency’s 95% target.

According to a DOH situation report, the percentage of children who received measles-rubella vaccines in Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), is at 82%, or 2,347,562 children.

The agency said the figure did not reach their initial target vaccination rate of 95% as 510,547 children in Mindanao are still unvaccinated.

The DOH’s vaccine report for January 19 to February 26 is as follows:

• Region IX: 452,970 vaccinated (86%), 70,736 unvaccinated
• Region X: 452,051 vaccinated (86%), 71,568 unvaccinated
• Region XI: 332,066 vaccinated (65%), 180,943 unvaccinated
• Region XII: 352,228 vaccinated (78%), 99,022 unvaccinated
• CARAGA: 234,923 vaccinated (87%) 34,372 unvaccinated
• BARMM: 523,324 vaccinated (91%), 53,906 unvaccinated

Earlier, the DOH warned that a measles outbreak in Mindanao might be possible if herd immunity is not achieved.

“Ang konsepto kasi ng herd immunity naipaliwanag ko na ito noong COVID-19: Pag maraming hindi bakunado, mas mabilis magkakahawahan, mas mabilis mag-outbreak kasi mas maraming vulnerable kids,” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said last week.

(The concept of herd immunity, I already explained it during COVID-19. If there are many who are not vaccinated, the disease easily spreads as an outbreak because there are more vulnerable kids.)

“… Pag protektado ang 95%, hindi magkikita-kita ‘yung mga may measles kasi ang ma-expose sila sa taong may vaccine na. So hindi kakalat yung virus,” he said.

(If the 95% is protected, those with measles will no longer spread it because they are exposed to people with vaccines. So the virus won’t spread.)

“Kaya natin ginagawa itong measles, rubella, supplemental immunization,” Herbosa added.

(That’s why we are doing this measles, rubella, supplemental immunization.)

Phase 1 of the DOH’s Ligtas-Tigdas program ended in Mindanao on Friday, while Phase 2 and 3 in Luzon and Visayas will be rolled out in the latter half of the year.

Meanwhile, the DOH reiterated its advice to the public to visit local vaccination sites and have their children aged 6 to 59 months vaccinated.

“Makipag-ugnayan sa mga health worker sa inyong lugar para sa schedule ng bakunahan ng inyong anak,” the agency added.

(Coordinate with your local health workers to schedule your child for a vaccination.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News