ZAMBOANGA CITY — Health authorities here is up for supplemental Measles, Rubella, and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-OPV-SIA) as the Zamboanga Peninsula region records 59 cases of Measles for the first quarter of 2023.
The Department of Health-Region 9 aims to vaccinate 79,973 children aged 9-59 months for the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine and 93,802 children 0-59 months old for the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
Among school-age children in the Philippines, measles and rubella are two of the most prevalent infections that can be prevented through vaccination.
Rubella, also called German measles, is brought on by a different virus than measles. symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Rubella can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects in a developing baby if a woman is infected while she is pregnant.
Measles is an acute viral respiratory illness. It is characterized by a prodrome of fever (as high as 105°F) and malaise, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis, pathognomonic enanthema (Koplik spots) followed by a maculopapular rash.
Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe, expresses his gratitude to health workers and supporting agencies for their dedication to ensuring the well-being of children susceptible to diseases, as they continue to exert efforts to reach all eligible populations.
Dalipe urged parents and caregivers to have their children immunized, as he stressed the benefits of the supplemental immunization activity.
City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite said all resources will be mobilized for the supplemental immunization activity for the whole month of May to reach the target set by the Department of Health.
MR-OPV however is a regular health service in all health centers in the city every Wednesday, but the supplemental activity will ensure added protection to avert a possible outbreak of diseases, Miravite emphasized.
