The DOH-Bicol office in Legazpi City (File photo courtesy of DOH-CHD)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Health–Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Bicol has reported the success of the second round of its immunization activity against polio, where around 291,000, or 78.48 percent of the target eligible children in the region were vaccinated.
In a statement of the DOH-CHD Bicol on Friday, Dr. Monrey Isaiah Mancilla, regional medical coordinator of the National Immunization Program for the region, thanked the health workers and parents who participated in the bivalent Oral Poliomyelitis Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (bOPV SIA) from May 17 to 31.
"Maraming challenges ang hinarap ng magigiting natin na mga health workers, pati na rin ang mga magulang at kamag-anak, para lang masiguradong ligtas ang mga batang taga Bicol sa polio. Madaming bagyo, baha, at pandemya pero nagbunga po ang ating paghihirap. Parte po tayong lahat sa makasaysayang pagtatapos ng polio outbreak sa Pilipinas (Many challenges were experienced by our health workers, as well as parents and relatives to ensure the safety of our children in Bicol against polio. There was a series of typhoons, floods, and the pandemic but our sacrifices turned out worthy. We are all part of the ending of the polio outbreak in the Philippines)," he said.
Despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the bOPV SIA was able to accomplish 78.48-percent vaccination, which is significantly close to the population protection threshold of 80 percent.
The activity conducted in various cities and municipalities in the region targeted to reach 370,806 eligible children aged 0-59 months old.
The bOPV SIA is a follow-up to the Measles-Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA) which was conducted from October to December 2020. The first round was able to accomplish 88.99 percent out of the targeted 95-percent immunization coverage.
Through the bOPV SIA, the excess OPV from last year’s MR OPV SIA was utilized. This reduced vaccine wastage and provided additional protection against polio.
The DOH-CHD Bicol highlights the importance of vaccination especially for vaccine-preventable diseases following the declaration of the World Health Organization and the Department of Health that the polio outbreak has officially ended in the Philippines. (PNA)
