IMMUNIZATION. Antique Integrated Provincial Health Officer Dr. Leoncio Abiera Jr. administers Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) during the provincial launching of the "Chikiting Ligtas" or the Measleas-Rubbella and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity in the Municipality of Bugasong on Tuesday. The monthlong measles-rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) supplemental immunization activity (MR OPV SIA) targets over 120,000 children aged zero to 59 months old in Antique. (PNA photo courtesy of Antique IPHO)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) launched its month-long measles-rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) supplemental immunization activity (MR OPV SIA) under the “Chikiting Ligtas” campaign targeting over 120,000 children aged zero to 59 months old in Antique in the municipality of Bugasong on Tuesday.
“Parents were well aware of the benefit that their children could get from the immunization that is why they brought their children,” said IPHO information officer Irene Duldoco in an interview.
Specifically, the vaccination targets 58,472 children 9 to 59 months old for MR and 68,339 children zero to 59 months old for OPV.
She said information dissemination campaigns were conducted before the launching to raise the awareness of parents on the protection their children could get from vaccines.
The provincial launching in Bugasong was held simultaneously with the start of the vaccination campaign in other local government units (LGUs) in the province.
IPHO chief Dr. Ric Noel Naciongayo, during the flag-raising ceremony at the provincial capitol Tuesday, has requested employees, particularly those with children zero to 59 months old to bring them to health centers for immunization.
“I request everyone for your support to the national campaign to boost the immunity of our children,” Naciongayo said.
IPHO Health Officer Dr. Leoncio Abiera Jr., in a separate interview, said that there will be fixed sites such as the rural health centers and barangay health stations where the “Chikiting Ligtas” will be held.
“There will be immunizations to be conducted in the schools to reach out to school kids,” he said.
Meanwhile, Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) president Pamela Socorro-Azucena said that barangay captains in the 18 municipalities of Antique are committed to supporting the campaign.
Azucena joined the stakeholders' commitment signing on behalf of the LnB held in a hotel in San Jose de Buenavista on April 29.
“For Barangay Idio in Sebaste, I have already made public information dissemination and we are readying for the May 15 schedule at the Day Care Center,” she said.
The municipal health officers set the schedule of the immunizations in the barangays and schools before they go on a house-to-house campaign to reach out to the targeted children. (PNA)
