COTABATO CITY – The Ministry of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) Ministry of Health (MOH) launched a campaign to promote the supplemental immunization activity, Chikiting Ligtas: Measles-Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine (MR-OPV SIA), for the safety and protection of Bangsamoro children on Tuesday, May 2 at the City Mall here.
The Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO) said in a statement that the campaign, which will run until May 31, 2023, “targets children aged 0-59 months old for Oral Polio Virus and aged 9 to 59 months old for the Measles-Rubella Vaccine.”
The MOH aims to immunize at least 95 percent of children in the region against polio and measles.
Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama Jr., said “the vaccines are safe, effective, and free, and have undergone studies by experts for quality and effectiveness.”
“Kailangan natin sulusyunan ang problemang ito. Huwag po sana nating hayaan na tamaan nitong sakit (MR-OPV SIA) ang ating mga mahal sa buhay at lalong-lalo na ang ating mga anak (We need to find solutions to this probem [polio and measles]. Let us not allow these viruses to hit our children,” Dumama said.
The MOH said, “Measles and polio are contagious diseases that can cause severe complications, such as pneumonia, ear infections (otitis media), conjunctivitis, diarrhea, encephalitis, malnutrition, and death in children.”
Meanwhile, MOH Deputy Minister Zul Qarneyn Abas encouraged various stakeholders to advocate and encourage the Bangsamoro parents and families to bring their children to nearby health centers.
“When parents, for one reason or another, could not bring their children to the health station, our frontliners are conducting house-to-house visits, and mobile clinics, so we can protect our children,” Abas said.
“We hope to immunize about 626,000 children in the region,” said MOH Minister Rizaldy Piang.
The launching activity was attended by Abas, Dumama, SGA Administrator Butch Malang, BYC Commissioner Nas Dunding, UNICEF representative Dr. Martin Parreno, OHS Cotabato City City Health Officer Marlow Ninal, PNP Police Colonel James Gulmatico, and other officials and employees of MOH BARMM, Cotabato City Health Office, and Special Geographic Area Field Health Office.
Piang launched the same activity on April 26 for the province of Sulu where the MOH is targeting to immunize approximately 127,964 children.
