"LET us protect our children from these diseases. We appeal to all concerned parents and guardians to submit their children to vaccination."
This was stressed by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia after the Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA) Campaign started on February 1.
"We all know that we are in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that is threatening our lives. And at the same time, we also face the reality that there exist other infectious communicable diseases such as measles and polio which may cause lifetime disability and could also be fatal," Leonardia said.
On February 1 to 28, free vaccination against Measles-Rubella will be conducted for babies 9 to 59 months old, and an oral polio vaccine will be given to children below five years old.
This Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity will be conducted by the Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development, in cooperation with the Bacolod City Health Office (CHO).
It aims to immunize 95 percent of all children aged nine to 59 months with Measles-Rubella vaccines, and all children under five years old with oral polio vaccines.
CHO Regional Director Dr. Emilia Monicimpo earlier said, "The vaccination campaign acts as preventive measure that guards our children from contracting these highly contagious diseases that lead to grave complications including permanent disability."
"In our fight against these vaccine-preventable diseases, we need to ensure that no child is left behind unvaccinated," she added.