Mindanao Times

CHO scores close to 100% coverage

-

THE CITY Health Office (CHO) is close to achieving 100 percent of its target number of children to receive the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

As of Oct. 23, the CHO anti-polio immunizati­on already hit 95 percent of its target since it started on

Oct. 14. The first round of the immunizati­on drive will end today.

CHO technical division chief, Dr. Julinda Acosta, said that most of the areas where the CHO teams have completed immunizati­on are in the far-flung areas.

Acosta said Paquibato has already surpassed the 100 percent immunizati­on rate for all children 5 years and below.

Despite the high accomplish­ment rate, Acosta said the CHO will still target age groups in areas where the immunizati­on

rate is low.

According to her, the CHO is now focusing on the districts that have a low rate of coverage such as Buhangin, which registered only 79.5% of immunized kids.

“We still have a few days until Sunday, so our staff are currently doing sweeping right now to ensure that all children will be covered and also to convince parents, and to check on the situation of those children who were immunized,” she said.

Acosta lamented some parents are still refusing to have their children immunized.

“They have misunderst­ood the essence of the immunizati­on. This is not only for the less fortunate. They need to participat­e because there is a poliovirus found at the Davao River,” she said.

Acosta said the CHO will also continue to educate parents and convince them that the OPV is safe and necessary. CIO

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines