4th round polio immunization drive hits 99.4% coverage rate
THE SABAYANG Patak Kontra Polio has reached 99.4 percent of total coverage for the recently-concluded fourth-round immunization drive conducted from February 17 to March 6.
The report from the Department of Health (DOH) revealed that a total of 572,642 children aged zero to 59 months old in the Davao Region were already vaccinated with the oral polio vaccine type 2 (OPV2).
Davao City has the most number of children vaccinated with 196,575 in total. Davao del Norte vaccinated 124,323 children, Davao de Oro with 81,438 vaccinated children, Davao del Sur with 71,053 children, Davao Oriental with 66,275, and Davao Occidental with 32,850 vaccinated children.
The total number of children vaccinated during the Jan. 20-Feb. 2 immunization drive reached 572,128, with a coverage rate of 99.4 percent.
DOH XI regional director Annabelle Yumang urged parents to cooperate and bring their children to the nearest center for vaccination. The DOH and barangay health workers are also going house-to-house to maximize the coverage.
“It is very much required for these kids to be vaccinated already. As of those who have not yet
submitted their children to vaccination, please let your kids be vaccinated already. In this way, we can prevent polio from being transmitted into their system,” she said.
Meanwhile, the DOH Davao Center for Health Development lauded the efforts of all health workers, volunteers, and partners who committed their full support during the polio immunization drive.
“You tirelessly braved the complex weather and walked the challenging terrains of your assigned area. To the local government units who volunteered the time and mobilized their resources in an effort to halt the polio outbreak, to the overwhelming support of the media who ensured that correct information is relayed to the public, and to the rest of our partners to this campaign in one way or another, we acknowledge and appreciate all of you,” the statement said.
The DOH also aims to sustain high vaccination accomplishment in the fifth round of the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio that will commence on March 23 to April 5.