Cotabato City to immunize 3K children

COTABATO CITY --- The Cotabato City Health Office is targeting to cover around 3,000 children for the massive immunization campaign for measles starting this week, said City Health Officer Dr. Meyasser Patadon.

Dr. Patadon said the figure represents the total number of children within the 37 barangays in the City who are eligible for immunization.

Citing the guidelines set by the Department of Health (DOH), he stated that it will specifically cover children aged six to 59 months old.

“Our target is the 3,556 unimmunized/unvaccinated children. We are going to do a house to house vaccination campaign just like what we did last year, where we have vaccinated a total of 28,313 in two and a half months period,” Patadon said.

He also noted that the City Health Office prioritizes those heath centers with high numbers of unvaccinated children.

       

“Top 10 health centers with low immunization rate. Second priority is those hard to reach or geographically isolated barangays and the urban poor areas,” he added.

According to Patadon, this year, Rosary Heights Mother Barangay recorded the highest cases of suspected measles with three, followed by Kalanganan Mother and Kalanganan 2 with 3 cases, respectively.

Meanwhile, DOH Family Cluster Head Dr. Edvir Jane Montañer assured the general public that DOH have enough supply of vaccines for the whole region.  

“We can assure that we have enough vaccines to cover the unvaccinated in Cotabato City and even in the whole region 12,” she said.

Dr. Montañer stated, in line with the intensified campaign against measles, the DOH XII scheduled a monitoring in Cotabato City and in the whole region on February 18 to March 31.

“With the help of our counterparts in the LGU. We have expanded the coverage of our immunization specially those unvaccinated children. Because in one measles case it could generate from 17 to 20 persons,” she emphasized.

Montañer also urged parents with children aged six to 59 months to avail of free supplemental vaccination offered at public health centers.

“We should act early. We should act now. Please have your unvaccinated child be vaccinated,” she said.

Measles is a highly infectious and communicable disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include high fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and colds.

DOH XII data showed that this year, Cotabato City has recorded a total number of 30 cases of measles. (PIA COTABATO CITY – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)