Over 50,000 kids in Makati get polio vaccine, beating DOH target

Rappler.com

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Over 50,000 kids in Makati get polio vaccine, beating DOH target

Rappler.com

Makati City has the highest vaccination coverage rate in the Department of Health's oral polio vaccination drive, followed by Taguig City then Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines – Over 50,000 children from 0 to 59 months in Makati City were covered in the oral polio vaccination drive of the Department of Health (DOH), exceeding the target set by health officials.

The DOH said that a total of 52,978 children in Makati City were vaccinated from October 14 to 27. The number accounts for 106.76% of Makati City’s target population of 49,623 children in the target age group.

Following Makati City were Taguig City with a vaccination coverage rate of 105.91% and Quezon City with 103.93%.

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay thanked Makati residents, parents, and health workers for the high uptake for oral polio vaccines, which are proven to be effective in preventing the full resurgence of polio in the country.

Binay urged parents to continue supporting immunization campaigns to protect children against all vaccine-preventable diseases. Among the vaccines available for free for children aged 0 to 59 months in Makati City’s 27 health centers are the following:

  • Hepatitis B at birth
  • Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) at birth
  • Pentavalent (PENTA Hib) at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14th week
  • OPV at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14th week
  • Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) at 14th week
  • Measles-rubella (MR) at 9 months
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) at 1 year old

This is followed by school-based immunization:

  • MR for kinder to Grade 7
  • Tetanus, diphtheria (TD) for Grades 1 to 7
  • Human papilloma virus (HPV) for Grade 4 (9 to 14 years old)

“Our children need to receive these vaccines at specific ages or periods during their childhood for their protection,” Binay said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said on Tuesday, October 29, that the DOH completed its target for the catch-up vaccination campaign against polio. Health workers covered 95.4% or roughly 1.7 million of the 1.8 million kids aged 5 below who were eyed to receive the oral polio vaccine.

At least 3 polio cases have been recorded in the Philippines since the DOH declared an outbreak in September. Two of the 3 cases were found in Mindanao.

Prior to the resurgence of polio in 2019, the Philippines had been declared polio-free since October 2000, with the last case of poliovirus reported in 1993. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!