THE Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) is encouraging parents to have their children zero to five years old vaccinated during the Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-OPV-SIA) this February.
The first two weeks are intensive vaccination, then the last two weeks of the month are set for those who missed their schedules.
Parents are advised by barangay officials and health personnel on their corresponding schedules.
The CHO targets more than 49,000 kids or 95 percent of population group below five years to achieve herd immunity.
"There will be no children left behind as we try to achieve our target percent coverage. We have massive advocacy campaign with the help of Barangay Health Workers," said Yannie Rose Tuazon, Health Education and Promotion Officer II.
"This is a special intervention that is why we encourage mothers to take this opportunity to have their children vaccinated to avoid the outbreak of measles, rubella and polio," she added.
The CHO pushes for the preventive measure to safeguard children from contracting the highly-contagious dangerous diseases that can cause and lead to grave life-long complications including permanent disability and death.
The vaccination initiative spreads the good news that these diseases are completely preventable with the provision of vaccines, it added. (PR)