THE Department of Health (DOH) targets to immunize nearly 10 million children in phase 2 of the measles-rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) drive next month.
In a virtual press briefing, DOH national immunization program manager Maria Wilda Silva said they target to vaccinate 5.1 million children from 9 to 59 months old children for the MR vaccine and 4.8 million children from 0 to 59 months old for OPV.
"We mentioned in the past that 2021 is very critical because of the accumulation of susceptibles (sic). It is very possible, it is highly possible that we can experience a very big outbreak if we do not do something to increase the immunity," said Silva.
"This is the time where we want to really raise the immunity of our under-5 years old to prevent the impending outbreak," she added.
The health official said phase 2 of the MR-OPV supplemental immunization activity will be conducted in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
"NCR will no longer do polio vaccination because they already did several rounds of outbreak response for polio in 2019 as well as in 2018," said Silva.
Silva said vaccination can be done in health centers, hospitals or barangay health stations.
Silva hoped that the second phase would have better results than phase 1, which failed to reach its target.
"2020 was very challenging. Despite our efforts to normalize the provision of basic immunization services, we still have not reached that 95 percent mark," said Silva
The MR vaccine drive held in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Bicol and in the entire Mindanao only reached 92.9 percent of the 8.3 million target.
The OPV campaign in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa and Bicol only reached 89.2 percent of the 4.0 million target.
In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III called on parents and guardians to allow their children to receive the vaccines.
“We highly encourage parents and guardians to have their children immunized. These vaccines can give our vulnerable children a good start at life so they can grow into healthy and productive adults," said the health chief.
“Vaccination saves lives and prevents disabilities from such diseases. Above all, no child should be left behind,” Duque added. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)