2 days ago
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ILOILO CITY — Health officials of this city have intensified immunization efforts following the confirmation of a measles case in Mandurriao district and 24 suspected cases in the city.
The Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) reported on Thursday that the confirmed case is a 19-year-old female from Passi City who works in Mandurriao.
"Children in the area are already exposed. That's why we have to do this catch-up for those who are lacking because our area has positive cases," said Dr. Jennifer Tuvilla-Anceno of the CHO's National Immunization Program.
She added that the CHO will have a targeted vaccination campaign to prevent further spread of the highly contagious disease.
"We appeal to parents to allow their children to receive these immunizations. We assure them that the vaccine is safe, effective, and free of charge. The protection of your children is in your hands," she said.
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The CHO will implement both selective and non-selective measles and rubella vaccination campaigns in Mandurriao.
The non-selective approach aims to achieve 95 percent vaccination coverage by providing supplementary doses to children ages 9 to 59 months, regardless of their vaccination status.
Meanwhile, the selective campaign will ensure that children in the same age range who have not received or completed two doses of a measles-containing vaccine are fully vaccinated.
Aside from having a confirmed case, Mandurriao also documented the highest number of suspected measles cases with eight, followed by Molo with four, Lapuz and Jaro 1 with three each and two cases each for Arevalo, La Paz and Jaro 2.
Meanwhile, the selective campaign will ensure that children in the same age group who have not received or completed two doses of a measles-containing vaccine are fully vaccinated.
To further bolster immunity, the CHO is planning school-based vaccination programs for children aged 6 to 13 years, particularly those who missed previous immunizations.
Tuvilla-Anceno said that measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and blindness, especially among young children and immunocompromised individuals.
Symptoms typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure and may include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, conjunctivitis, Koplik's spots and a characteristic rash.
"We call it vaccine-preventable diseases because these are diseases included in our immunization. We want to prevent the worst complications of measles," she said.
