The Department of Health in the Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR) has vaccinated 200,455 children aged six to 59 months against measles and rubella, with no further extension planned for the supplemental immunization campaign, an official said Tuesday.
DOH-NIR Assistant Regional Director Adrian Hort Ramos said the figure accounts for about 45 percent of the region’s target for the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA).
Ramos attributed the low turnout partly to misinformation circulating on social media about the vaccine’s safety.
“Sadly, many mothers and guardians were convinced against the vaccine despite the agency’s information campaign explaining that it was safe,” he said.
Ramos also cited cases in which parents said their children were sick during the immunization period but failed to have them vaccinated after they recovered.
He said the DOH will continue to provide routine measles vaccinations through government health facilities, with local government units (LGUs) playing a crucial role in ensuring that eligible children are immunized.
The Ligtas Tigdas supplemental immunization campaign ended on Sept. 4.
DOH-NIR data showed that Negros Occidental recorded the highest number of vaccinated children among the three provinces, with 140,237 receiving the supplemental vaccine, representing 57.3 percent coverage of a target of 244,757.
Bacolod City posted a 45.6 percent vaccination rate, with 22,265 children immunized out of 48,839 targeted.
In Siquijor, 2,054 of 7,273 children were vaccinated, representing 28.2 percent coverage.
Negros Oriental recorded the lowest coverage in the region at 26.3 percent, with 35,899 children vaccinated out of a target of 136,717.
The MR-SIA was initially conducted nationwide from Aug. 10 to 28 in coordination with the World Health Organization. It was later extended until Sept. 4 to allow more children to receive the measles-rubella vaccine and Vitamin A supplementation.*PNA
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