September 23, 2023

The City Health Services Office was able to reach out and vaccinate 81 percent of the city’s children against polio and measles-rubella from Oct. 25 to Dec. 8.

Personnel of the HSO, Marie Joven reported that 28,891 children, representing 81.78 percent from the 35,327 targeted population, was administered the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) while 24, 470 (81.60 percent) from 29,989 targeted children were immunized Measles Rubela (MR) vaccine.

The MR-OPV-supplementary immunization activities were jointly done by officials and health personnel for children below five years old.

Health workers of Campo Filipino, Pinsao, Quezon and Quirino Hill, Lucban, Mines View, Atok Trail, Loakan, Asin, Scout Barrio, City Camp, Atab, Engineers Hill, Pacdal, Aurora Hill and Irisan districts worked hard for the immunization activities.

Fixed vaccination sites, district, barangay centers and other open sites were used, with some health workers employing a door-to-door campaign, searching for unvaccinated children in the barangays.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong earlier issued Executive Order 140 s. 2020 encouraging Baguio communities to support the immunization activity.

The EO stated elimination, eradication, and control of the childhood vaccine-preventable diseases require that a sizeable number of children below 59 months of age undergo annual immunization.

Measles-rubella and polio are vaccine-preventable diseases. Symptoms for polio are fever, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, joint pains, and difficulty in breathing. – Julie G. Fianza with reports from the CHSO