PGLU hosts national launch of DOH’s Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity
By: Justin Paul Marbella, PIO | Photo By: Jefferson Lorenzo, John Russell B. Barrientos and Sonny Buenaventura, PIO | Date: October 22, 2020
The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) hosted the national launch of the Department of Health’s program to conduct massive immunization among children to protect them against infectious diseases such as measles rubella and polio, on October 22, 2020 at the Provincial Capitol Building, City of San Fernando, La Union.
The DOH Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA) targets a total of 6,919,015 children aged 59 months and below in the entire country, 504,897 of which will be from Region 1.
In the Province of La Union, 61,002 beneficiaries for Measles-Rubella Vaccine and 71,241 for Oral Polio Vaccine are targeted to undergo the immunization on October 26 – November 25, 2020.
The launching was graced by Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III and DOH officials led by Usec. Gerardo V. Bayugo, Asec. Charade Grande, Asec. Maria Francia M. Laxamana. It was also witnessed by members of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and the Coordinated Operations To Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team headed by Sec. Carlito G. Galvez Jr. and Dir. Princess Pebbles Duque.
With the theme “Chikiting Ligtas, sa Dagdag Bakuna, Kontra Rubella Polio at Tigdas,” the MR OPV SIA aims to prevent additional burden in the health care system, as the country’s health facilities continue to tackle the challenges brought by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Children aged 0-59 months will undergo polio vaccine through drops; while those aged 9-59 months will receive additional measles rubella vaccine through injection.
Trained healthcare workers from the various rural health units (RHU) in the province shall administer the vaccine. The DOH and the Provincial Health Office will oversee the vaccination campaign.
To adhere to the minimum public health standards, the activity will be held in identified facility or fixed post in communities. With face shields, masks and sanitizers, the RHU workers shall practice a no-touch procedure and observe physical distancing to reduce risk exposure of the children.
In his message, Gov. Pacoy expressed his support to the MR OPV SIA. “We are intensifying our health promotion, enhancing disease surveillance and prevention, strengthening our health care provider network, and establishing specialized disease and rehabilitative health care. We do all this to establish a Secure La Union, a Province with empowered communities that could stand firm against any crisis,” he said.
La Union was chosen to host said launching because of its current low record of CoViD-19 cases making it a conducive venue for the launch.
