BARMM eyes 95% immunization coverage vs. polio, measles

COTABATO CITY – Health frontliners in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are aiming to immunize at least 95 percent of children against polio and measles.

BARMM health officials launched Tuesday its regionwide campaign dubbed “Chikiting Ligtas: Measles-Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine (MR-OPV SIA)” for the protection of children against the diseases.

The campaign will involve vaccinating children aged 0–59 months against measles and giving them oral polio vaccines.

Saida Ali, MOH-BARMM information officer, said the massive vaccination drive will last until end of May.

In a briefer, the Ministry of Health (MOH)-BARMM said measles and polio are contagious diseases that can cause severe complications, such as pneumonia, ear infections (otitis media), conjunctivitis, diarrhea, encephalitis, malnutrition, and death in children.

With this, MOH-BARMM Deputy Minister Zul Qarnayn Abas called on regional health stakeholders to advocate and encourage the parents and families to bring their children to nearby health centers.

“When parents, for one reason or another, could not bring their children to the health station, our frontliners are conducting house-to-house visits, and mobile clinics, so we can protect our children,” he said.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr., has assured that the vaccines are safe, effective and free, and have undergone studies by experts for quality and effectiveness.

Dumama, former DOH-Soccsksargen regional director and Cotabato City health officer, has urged everyone to address the problem by protecting their loved ones, especially their children from highly communicable diseases.

“We need to find solutions to this polio and measles problem, let us not allow these viruses to hit our children,” he said in his speech here.

BARMM Health Minister Dr. Rizaldy Piang said they hope to immunize about 626,000 children in the region.

In Lanao del Sur, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said it is targeting a maximum of 166,000 children as vaccine recipients.

"We don't want to have outbreaks in our province, and it is important that we should aim to cover all qualified children to get the vaccines," IPHO chief Dr. Alinader Minalang said in a statement.

Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Raki-in Adiong said parents and caregivers are urged to protect children against measles, rubella and polio through the vaccination offered freely to the public. (PNA)