The Manila city government will conduct a third round of massive polio vaccination in all barangays in the nation’s capital next week to totally eliminate the viral infection.
Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold “Poks” Pangan said the synchronized polio vaccination periods would be carried out from November 25 to December 7.
In a statement, Manila City Hall spokesman Julius Leonen said that even if a person has had complete vaccination as a one-year-old or younger, he can still avail of the vaccine as a booster to ensure immunity from the disease.
Manila’s health personnel and volunteers will go house-to-house for the vaccination, while others will be in health centers and barnagay halls.
Manila Barangay Bureau chief Romeo Bagay issued a memorandum requiring all barangay chiefs to “intensify the campaign” against polio.”©
Bagay also urged barangay chiefs “to ensure that there will be 95% coverage of children under give to be given oral polio vaccine in their areas.””©
According to data from the MHD, about 160,000 children or 81.6% of possible patients have already received the polio vaccines from the city government after two rounds of the synchronized immunization program.
In August, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso on Monday led the synchronized polio vaccination kickoff activity in the capital, as the city government targeted 197,000 children to be free of poliovirus.
But in September, the Department of Health confirmed the disease was reemerging in the country, 19 years after the Philippines was declared by the World Health Organization polio-free in 2000.
In this regard, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III strongly urged parents, health workers, and local governments to fully participate in the synchronized polio vaccination.
“It is the only way to stop the polio outbreak and to protect your child against this paralyzing disease,” he said.
Aside from immunization, Duque reminded the public to practice good personal hygiene, wash their hands regularly, use toilets, drink safe water, and cook food thoroughly.
The kickoff activity with the theme “Olats ang Polio sa Maynila” (Polio Loses in Manila) was held at the Del Paso covered court in Quiapo.
Moreno was joined by Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo, Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, and UNICEF country representatives.
The first round of polio vaccination was from Aug. 19 to 30, with the second round on Oct. 1 to 14 and a third round on Nov. 15 to 30.
Polio is a fatal and disabling disease caused by poliovirus, which is transmitted in poor environmental sanitation and hygiene conditions.
Complete vaccination is the best preventive measure against polio, the DOH said. All children under one year old should complete their three doses of OPV and one dose of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine.
