Anti-polio vaccination in Maguindanao 100% done

COTABATO CITY – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Maguindanao said Friday that all the 195,065 children aged 59 months and below have been immunized with anti-polio vaccines as of January 29.

Dr. Elizabeth Samama, IPHO-Maguindanao chief, said the massive vaccination was completed Thursday or four days before the scheduled termination of the activity in 36 towns of the province.

“We are 100% done,” Dr. Elizabeth Samama, Maguindanao health chief, told the PNA in a phone interview.

Samama said the participation of all stakeholders during the Jan. 20 - Feb. 2 immunization drive was

commendable.

“All the parents have cooperated, many came forward to have their children receive anti-polio drops,” she said, as she expressed appreciation to all who joined the massive vaccination.

Samama cited the crucial roles of parents, local village officials, local government executives and police and soldiers manning checkpoints in Maguindanao highways.

During the two-week vaccination, police and soldiers helped vaccinate children who were commuting with their parents along Maguindanao highways.

“Parents role is vital in the fight against polio,” she said, adding that during the first round of the anti-polio vaccination from Nov. 25 - Dec. 7, 2019, about 4,000 children were not immunized due to the parents’ refusal.

Since November last year, a total of nine polio cases were confirmed in Maguindanao, seven of them discovered and confirmed only this month. The seven new confirmed cases of polio in the province are in the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Rajah Buayan, Datu Piang, Datu Hofer, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Abdullah Sangki, and Datu Anggal Midtimbang.

“That is why we are very aggressive, even in Army and police checkpoints we have ‘bakunadors’ (health workers) to give anti-polio drops to children who were traveling with their parents,” Samama said.

Samama said she keeping her “fingers locked” that no more polio case will be reported in Maguindanao.

With the anti-polio vaccination done in Maguindanao, Samama said health workers have embarked on a massive information campaign about the 2019-novel coronavirus.

“We are again busy, this is a pro-active stance, we are educating our people on prevention of the novel coronavirus,” she said.