Amid measles outbreak, vaccination intensified
Health officials in Central Visayas have intensified its existing strategies to control the measles outbreak in the region.
DOH- 7 Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said interventions have already been put in place since the second half of 2018.
“Nothing is new. There had been measles outbreak declaration in the province level last year that started in Negros Oriental… but we are still continuing with our region-wide catch up immunization,” he told The FREEMAN.
Bernadas said the DOH7 has been providing logistical support for the free vaccines to the local government units and even human resources to capacitate and augment the local health workers. The DOH-7 director is leaving the discretion to the local chief executives whether a state of health emergency is to be declared locally.
Dr. Shelbay Blanco, cluster head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, said the regional office will continue to strengthen and intensify what has been done to prevent further cases.
RESU data shows that there were 97 cases with 1 death from January 1 to February 2 this year or 2,300 percent increase from the 4 cases recorded in 2018. The same data shows that majority of the cases were from Cebu City with 42 cases or 43.8 percent of the total number; Lapu-Lapu City (8 cases or 8.3 percent); and Mandaue City (5 cases or 3.1 percent).
Blanco said good thing the surveillance system in the region is already established that it can capture all reported cases.
He said there had been outbreak response immunization before or the door-to-door visit to make sure those children who missed their scheduled vaccination will receive the anti-measles shots.
Blanco said this postoutbreak intervention was later on supported with the Supplemental Immunization Activity which is a regionwide campaign that opens all health centers for the conduct of free vaccination.
Ruff Vincent Valdevieso, the National Immunization Program nurse coordinator, said the supplemental immunization activity allows the health workers to cater children beyond the age group between 9 months to 12 months.
Cebu City Health officer Dr. Alma Corpin said the cases are alarming prompting her to issue a memorandum to all health centers to conduct immunization three times before an infant turns one year old.
She said at least 10 out of 80 barangays in Cebu City have reported cases of measles. These include Tisa, Kamputhaw, Guadalupe, Sta. Cruz, Tinago, Talamban, Capitol Site, San Roque, Duljo Fatima, and Punta Princesa.
Corpin said that the measles immunization is the only way to fight the disease, saying without antimeasles vaccine, the people with weak immune system are susceptible to this disease.
“Awhag nato sa mga parents nga ipa-immunize ang mga anak kay mao nay way sa pag protect sa bata. Kon naa silay immunization, protected sila for that disease,” she said, adding that her office will continue the house to house visit in the city for the education and immunization of the children.
She assured the city has enough vaccines to cover for the massive immunization activity.