ZAMBOANGA Sibugay Governor Wilter Yap Palma has issued an executive order mandating all the 16 municipalities to intensify the implementation of the zero open defecation program to prevent the

occurrence of polio in the province.

Palma said the program should be fully implemented noting that environmental sanitation is a pro-active step against poliovirus.

Palma said that everybody should also take personal steps like personal hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, to protect themselves from any bacteria.

Meanwhile, Palma urged all parents and the towns officials to protect their children and communities against the poliovirus by participating in the coming mass oral polio vaccination of the Department of Health (DOH).

The vaccination, dubbed as “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio”, will be conducted from November 25 to December 7, 2019, with the DOH targeting to vaccinate some 400,000 children aged five and

below.

Palma on Friday took oral polio vaccine (OPV) administered by Zamboanga Sibugay Health Officer Ulysses Silorio to set an example and stress the importance of immunization against polio.

He was joined by the employees and staff of the Office of the Provincial Governor.

The DOH is set to administer OPV to children particularly for poliovirus Type 2. (SunStar Zamboanga)