By: Emmanuel D. Taghoy
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – The Zamboanga Sibugay Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) on Monday, Sept.1, gave free shots of measles rubella and oral polio vaccine to children aged 0-59 months old, as the Department of Health (DOH) launched a nationwide mass immunization campaign against these diseases.
The IPHO mobile team together with some personnel from the Department of Health (DOH)-9 went to the municipalities of Tungawan, Ipil, Naga, Kabasalan, Siay and Buug to ensure the implementation of the program.
According to Dr. Ulysses J. Chiong, provincial health officer, the advocacy campaign was designed to interrupt transmission of measles and rubella and to protect the population from the consequences of importation of wild poliovirus.
“This also aims to immunize those who weren’t able to receive polio and measles shots before,” said Dr. Chiong.
The DOH and the IPHO sought to cover all the 16 municipalities of Zamboanga Sibugay province.
“We can be very effective in this advocacy campaign with the help of parents,” stressed Dr. Chiong.
Children, aged 9 months to 59 months (around five years old) will be vaccinated for measles-rubella, while children from birth to five years will also be given oral polio vaccine.
Chiong encouraged the parents especially the mothers with children belonging to the above age bracket to have their children immunized.
Parents may bring their children to the nearest health centers around the province starting September 1-30.
