CPHO: Massive Immunization Saves Cebuanos from Measles Outbreak

The massive immunization program against measles in Cebu province as well as in the whole Central Visayas has attributed to the region’s lower number of those affected by this dreaded disease, the Cebu Provincial Health Office(CPHO) said on Tuesday.

CPHO Chief, Dr. Cythia Genesolango, during the AGIO Forum held at the Philippine Information Agency-7(PIA 7) office along Gorordo Ave, Cebu City, confirmed that there is only one measles victim recorded at the CPHO as of yesterday, January 21, since January 1, 2014.

Genesolango said that this may be the result of their massive campaign last year to give anti-measles vaccine to at least 82 percent of the total population of the province.

She also said that immunization program is the key solution to prevent the massive outbreak of this dreaded disease here in the province.

Meanwhile, Dr. Maria Socorro Entera , chief maternal and child health at the Department of Health-7 (DOH 7) also said that they deployed the barangay health workers (BHWs)on door to door basis to reach out all households, whose members failed to receive anti-measles vaccine.

She said that they were not able to achieve their target to immunize 95 percent of the total population of region 7 against measles due to lack of cooperation of some mothers.

Entera said upon learning the weak response of some parents to submit their children for immunization at the barangay health centers, they immediately deployed the BHWs to all households who have not yet availed the free immunization program of the government.

Entera urged all parents to take advantage of the free anti-measles vaccination program implemented by the government all throughout the country to avoid outbreak of the said disease here in the region.