ANGELES City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. is aiming to maintain zero polio cases in the city under his watch.
He is urging parents to get their children vaccinated against polio, especially that it is for free.
"If their children did not receive yet vaccination from polio, I am encouraging them [parents] to do so. This [vaccine] is safe, please do not be scared," he said.
The national roll-out campaign for polio vaccination will be conducted in Angeles City in October, according to the Department of Health. Central Luzon will be one of the focused areas.
Lazatin, through Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, in coordination with the City Health Office, will start programs for the awareness of polio.
"We already distributed toilet bowls in Barangay Margot and Sapangbato to encourage the constituents here to eradicate open defecation. We will continue to give help in each village to intensify zero open defecation program," he said.
For the mayor, cleanliness and proper hygiene will start at home. According to him, this is one great way to lessen the probability to acquire the disease.
"Basic steps such as washing hands regularly with soap and water, using a toilet, consuming food that is fully cooked, and drinking safe water. If the safety of your water is in doubt, boil it. These are the reminders of the World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) for families," he said.
It can be recalled that this September, the DOH confirmed polio cases involving a three-year-old girl in Lanao del Sur, and a five-year-old boy in Laguna province, the first and second cases in the country after 19 years.
"By all means, let us help one another to prevent our children, and ourselves from the disease. The city government will do its part to strengthen programs and monitoring, so that probable cause will be eliminated," the mayor added. (PR)