(Photo from the official Facebook page of Governor Daniel R. Fernando)
Bulacan Gov. Daniel R. Fernando and Vice Gov. Alexis C. Castro led the orientation on Measles Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-OPV SIA) of 1,138 Barangay Captains and Sangguniang Kabataan Chairmen in the province on Wednesday, April 26, at the Victory Church in the City of Malolos, Bulacan.
The orientation, which will be held until April 28, aims to strengthen the active participation of barangays in the conduct of MR-OPV SIA for children 0-59 months old prior to its implementation on May 1-31, 2023, which also includes vitamin A supplementation among children under 5 years old.
Fernando encouraged all barangay officials, workers, volunteers, and health practitioners to promote the campaign to help curb the virus transmission and eventually assist in the long-term goal of eliminating measles in the country as well as averting an outbreak.
“Tayo po ay nananawagan sa mga magulang, sa mga lingkod bayan, sa mga volunteer na pabakunahan po ninyo ang inyong mga anak dahil ito po ay proteksyon nila laban sa tigdas, polio, at sa iba pang sakit. Huwag po tayong matakot sa bakuna dahil ito pong ipagkakaloob sa inyong mga anak o kapatid ay ligtas at garantisado,” (I am calling on parents, public servants, and volunteers to have your children vaccinated because this is their protection against measles, polio, and other diseases. Do not be afraid of the vaccines because they are safe for your children)," the governor said.
He also shared the best practices of the province in terms of supporting and implementing the National Immunization Program (NIP) that include active and continuous health teaching in the community on the importance of routine immunization among children through the inclusion of an awareness lecture during Damayan sa Barangay; routine immunization, catch up vaccination, and utilization of different media platforms for information dissemination such as Galing Bulacan TV, Radyo Kapitolyo, Province of Bulacan and PPHO Facebook Pages and other social media accounts; implementation of Reaching Every Purok Strategy and Sulok to improve immunization coverage through Sangguniang Kabataan as focal person in information dissemination; continuous/uninterrupted weekly routine immunization services to Rural Health Units and Barangay Health Stations; intensified health education and promotion to all mothers and caretakers on the importance of securing immunization for their children at all levels; regular trainings provided to health care workers for continuous advancement in knowledge and skills; strong support from LCEs by providing video awareness/key messages and tokens to Fully Immunized Children (FIC); engagement of private sectors in implementation of NIP activity and reporting to partner LGUs; provision of budget for program implementation; and scheduled supportive supervisory visit to of PHO-PH in February to April to strengthen monitoring activities in the four cities and 20 towns in order to reach 95 percent of the target FIC.
According to the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU), from January 1 to April 8, 2023, a total of 41 suspected measles cases were reported and investigated in Bulacan. This is 720 percent higher compared to the same period last year when only five suspected cases were recorded.