Target ng Department of Health (DOH) na mabakunahan ang 16 na milyong bata na nasa limang taong gulang kasabay ng paglulunsad ng measles at polio supplemental immunization campaign sa susunod na buwan.
Ayon kay Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, nakatakda nilang simulan ang vaccination campaign sa October 26, 2020.
“Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a high-quality immunization campaign is urgently needed to stop measles transmission and possible outbreaks. We encourage parents and caregivers to have their children immunized,” sabi ni Duque sa isang joint statement kasama ang World Health Organization (WHO) at United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Dagdag ni Duque, nasa 9.4 million na bata ang kailangang mabakunahan kontra tigdas habang 6.9 million na bata naman para sa oral polio vaccine.
Ang immunization campaign ay hahatiin sa dalawang bahagi: Phase 1 ay isasagawa mula October 26 hanggang November 5, 2020 sa Mindanao, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, MIMAROPA, at Bicol Region.
Ang Phase 2 ay sa February 2021 sa Visayas, National Capital Region (NCR) at CALABARZON.
Hinikayat ni UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov ang mga magulang na mabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak ng healthcare workers.
“We are at an especially challenging time when immunization for children is being threatened. All of us must do our part in ensuring children in our family are immunized, and that we provide the correct information to parents, community members and among our peers,” ani ni Dendevnorov.
Iginiit naman ni WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe na mahalaga ang dalawang bakuna para maprotektahan ang mga bata mula sa mga naturang sakit.
“While measles is highly contagious, it is also a preventable disease. We must not lose the decades of progress we have achieved in immunizing and protecting Filipino children,” ayon kay Abeyasinghe.
Ang tigdas ay isang nakamamatay na sakit kung saan nauuwi ito sa kumplikasyon tulad ng severe diarrhea at dehydration, pneumonia, encephalitis o pamamaga ng utak, at pagkakabaldado.
Ang polio naman ay nakakaapekto sa nervous system na nagdudulot ng pagkakaparalisa o kamatayan.
