C. Visayas stays polio-free

CEBU CITY — Central Visayas is still polio-free, according to the Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas Center for Health Development (CVCHC).

“The last reported cases of polio in Cebu were in 1993 and Central Visayas was declared polio-free in 2000 and still is, to date,” DOH regional medical officer Dr. Van Philip Baton said in a Kapihan sa PIA forum Tuesday.

Baton said even with the reported resurgence of polio in the country, his office never let up in its polio vaccination campaign.

He urged all local government units to focus their efforts on completing polio immunization for children below five years old.

“We have enough vaccines,” Baton said.

Current findings from the CVCHD Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 28, there were 23 cases with one death of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), 16 cases of which were discarded as non-polio, while seven cases are still pending for classification.

Baton said the ages of the AFP cases ranged from 4 months to 32-year-old; 12 were female and 11 were male.

Their vaccination status showed that 18 of them received three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV); one received two doses, and one received one dose, while three had no vaccination history.

Baton said polio is a viral infection with flu-like symptoms that could lead to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) which affects the person for life, “but only 20 percent will manifest as polio.”

The most effective way to prevent polio is hygiene – zero open defecation, hand washing, proper food preparation, and proper nutrition.

Baton called on parents to go to the nearest health centers and have their children vaccinated with the complete three doses either in oral or injected polio vaccine.