BEATING POLIO. North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco administers the anti-polio vaccine to a child in an evacuation camp for earthquake victims in Barangay Sto. Niño, Makilala, North Cotabato on Monday (Jan. 20, 2020). The Mindanao-wide “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” campaign, now on its third round in the island, is scheduled to run until Feb. 2, 2020. (Photo courtesy of North Cotabato PIO)
COTABATO CITY -- North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco on Monday posed a challenge to all stakeholders in the campaign against poliovirus, saying she was confident that the disease can be contained.
“We can do it together; we can defeat polio,” Catamco told health workers during the send-off for this month’s “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” at the capitol grounds in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City.
Catamco said cleanliness remains one of the keys to prevent poliomyelitis from spreading.
"Kaya nating labanan ang sakit na polio sa pamamagitan ng kalinisan at bakuna (We can fight polio through cleanliness in our surroundings and vaccination)," she said.
North Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) chief Dr. Eva Rabaya and Provincial Board Member Philbert Malaluan joined the governor during the send-off ceremony.
The Jan. 20 to Feb. 2, 2020 rounds for “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” is the third for Mindanao and the second for North Cotabato. So far, no single polio case was reported in North Cotabato’s 17 towns and Kidapawan City.
She told local government officials and employees of their responsibilities to at least advocate cleanliness at home and in the offices.
“We, as provincial government employees, have the responsibility to advocate cleanliness and promote health awareness to the constituents of this province,” she said. She reiterated that polio is a virus that can be prevented through proper hygiene and vaccination.
“I urge all local government units, parents and caregivers to protect their children and communities from this virus by participating in the synchronized immunization,” Catamco said.
The drive aims to boost immunization coverage against polio by giving three doses of oral polio vaccine to children 59 months and below regardless of their immunization status.
At least nine children have been affected by the poliovirus in Maguindanao. Seven of them were only discovered to have been hit by the disease this January.
After the send-off ceremonies, Catamco proceeded to Barangay Sto. Niño, Makilala, North Cotabato for the anti-polio drive. (PNA)
