CHIKITING LIGTAS. Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III (2nd from left) administers an oral polio vaccine during the launch of the “Chikiting Ligtas” vaccination campaign program on Wednesday (May 3, 2023). Guico ordered local government units and health workers to go to far-flung areas to ensure that all children in the province are protected against measles, rubella, and polio. (Photo courtesy of Pangasinan-PIO)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Local government units and health workers in Pangasinan have been ordered to conduct vaccination activities, especially in far-flung areas, to ensure a 100-percent coverage of children eligible to be immunized against measles, rubella, and polio.
All cities and municipalities in Pangasinan are prepared and ready for the month-long Measles Rubella and bivalent Oral Poliovirus Vaccine Supplementary Immunization Activities (MR-bOPV SIA) or “Chikiting Ligtas 2023” headed by the Department of Health (DOH), according to Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III on Friday.
“We should also intensify our information dissemination campaign to educate parents because it is them who will decide whether their children should be vaccinated or not,” Guico said in a statement.
“Our city/rural health centers, daycare centers, barangay health stations, and identified vaccination sites will be immunizing eligible children and all that needed to be vaccinated should be given to protect them against these diseases.”
He said health workers in the province will go house-to-house in far-flung areas for the month-long vaccination drive.
“Let’s target zero cases. Everybody should be vaccinated. Let’s help each other for us to achieve what we need to achieve,” he said.
Eligible children aged 0 to 59 months would be vaccinated against measles, Rubella, and polio.
Pangasinan Provincial Health Officer Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman said this year, they are eyeing to immunize 262,944 aged nine to 59 months old for measles and rubella, while 307,548 aged 0 to 59 months are being targeted to be given oral poliovirus vaccine.
“At least 95 percent of the eligible children must be vaccinated at the end of the month-long campaign,” she said.
Dr. Valerie Tesoro, director of the DOH Health Laboratories Office, said the agency said of 225 measles cases in the country last year, 15 were recorded in Pangasinan.
Tesoro, who was guest of honor and speaker during the launching of the program in the province on May 3, said there is a need to accelerate the catch-up campaign and prevent future outbreaks, although no cases were recorded in Pangasinan from January to April this year.
Meanwhile, 225 measles cases were tallied nationwide from January 1 to March 18, which is 369 percent higher than the same period last year.
“We thank our local government partners, developmental partners, civil society organizations, and the public for joining us and supporting the DOH’s Chikiting Ligtas 2023 to protect our children from vaccine-preventable diseases. The vaccines for measles, rubella, and polio are safe, sure, and free,” he said. (PNA)
