The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to vaccinate more than one million children against measles and rubella in Davao and Northern Mindanao as the nationwide Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity kicked off on Monday, January 19, 2026.

DOH-Davao said more than 500,000 children are expected to receive measles and rubella vaccines in the region.

Data from DOH-Davao showed that 21 measles and seven rubella cases were recorded in the region in 2025. While comparative data with 2024 is not yet available, as of this writing, health authorities said Davao del Norte currently has the the highest number of measles cases in the region.

The agency added that vaccination is crucial to protect children six to 59 months old as measles cases are rising in neighboring regions.

“Even nimubo gamay (ang cases), naay probinsya nisaka taas kaayo di ta maghulat nga ang Davao City mismo modaghan ang kaso tungod ang measles ang komplikasyon posibleng makapatay sa mga bata,” DOH-11 Officer-in-Charge, Dr. Ellenietta Gamolo, said.

The Davao City Health Office explained that measles is a contagious disease and can be transmitted even before symptoms such as cough, fever, and rashes appear.

“Measles is a contagious disease one case can infect 11 to 12 children, so this is very infectious that is why we encourage the children to be vaccinated,” Acting Davao City Health Officer, Dr. Tomas Ababon, said.

Health authorities added that children with weak immune systems are at higher risk of developing severe complications.

“The mortality rate depends on the health of the child ang nutritional status kahit may measles kung magandang mas maagapan siya. The common complication of measles is pneumonia some will develop meningitis,” Ababon added.

Meanwhile, nearly 500,000 children six to 59 months old are also targeted for measles-rubella vaccination in Northern Mindanao.

DOH-10 said that Northern Mindanao ranks second nationwide in measles cases, with 412 cases recorded in 2025.

“Naa nata sa warning signs para sa impeding epidemic mao nagbuhat ta sa supplemental immunization activity katong gi cite nga data compared last year naa gyud pagtaas,” DOH-10 Director, Dr. Sulpicio Henry Legaspi, said.

“Even if one children is infected with measles that person can spread measles to another 12 to 18 children even adults we do have adult cases as well,” WHO representative, Dr. Achyut Shrestha, added.

The vaccination drive will run until February 13, 2026.