Prepare for onset of measles this summer — lawmaker

A senior administration lawmaker has called on the Department of Health, along with several other concerned government agencies, to immediately form Task Force Tigdas following the declaration of measles outbreaks in some parts of the country.

“Measles is a highly contagious viral disease,” Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas warned.

Vargas urged DOH to get the cooperation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local government units (LGUs) and barangay health workers (BHWs) in forming a task force.

“It remains a cause of death among young children globally, therefore we are urging the DOH, DSWD, LGUs and BHWs to get ahead of the situation before it aggravates and form a Task Force Tigdas to immediately address the possible outbreak,” he said.

The main purpose of the special task force is to strengthen and intensify the campaign for measles prevention.

The DOH confirmed an outbreak of measles in one barangay in Taguig City. Just recently, it reported an outbreak in Negros Oriental affecting at least six barangays and in the cities of Davao and Zamboanga with 222 cases.

DOH data showed a three-fold increase in the number of measles cases nationwide with a total of 887 cases reported from Jan. 1 to Feb. 3 this year. This is almost triple the number of cases reported in the same period of 2017 with 293 cases.

Once the Task Force Tigdas is formed, it should focus on convincing the parents to let their children be given vaccination, Vargas said.

Citing the recommendation of the World Health Organization, Vargas appealed to the DOH to intensify the immunization program especially to all susceptible children and adults for whom measles vaccination is not contraindicated.

The measles vaccine has been in use since the 1960s and is safe, effective and inexpensive.

“I fully understand the trauma caused by the Dengvaxia issue, but I am appealing to the parents to trust the government in managing this measles problem. I am urging them to bring their children for vaccination against measles so that an outbreak of the disease could be prevented,” Vargas said.

Based on the initial assessment of the DOH officials, one of the factors for the outbreak was the low immunization coverage, following public health scare triggered by the controversial dengue vaccine immunization program.

The WHO said routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaigns in countries with low routine coverage, are key public health strategies to reduce global measles deaths.

Measles is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Initial symptoms, which usually appear 10 to 12 days after infection, include high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.