CEBU CITY – More than 19,000 children in Central Visayas were vaccinated since the rollout of the “Chikiting Ligtas” immunization program on Monday, May 1.
CHILDREN  clad in colorful superhero costumes arrive at the gymnasium of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City during the launching of the ‘Chikiting Ligtas’ immunization program on Monday, May 1. (Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO)
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, regional director of the Department of Health-Central Visayas (DOH-7), said the vaccination will be conducted for the whole month of May in vaccination sites identified by local government units in the region. Ruff Vincent Valdevieso, the immunization program coordinator, said vaccinations are being done in health centers and in fixed sites such as gymnasiums. Valdevieso said rural health units will also be conducting house-to-house vaccinations. The DOH-7 is targeting to vaccinate 689,059 children eligible to receive anti-measles vaccine. For the anti-polio vaccine, there are 810,776 children in the region who are qualified to get the vaccine. The vaccines are for children aged zero to 59 months old. In Lapu-Lapu City, the immunization program was launched in Barangay Pajo gymnasium. Children were still in their school uniform while some were dressed in colorful superhero costumes when they arrived at the vaccination site. Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan urged parents to make sure that their children will be vaccinated against polio and measles. “Cases of measles and polio continue to rise because there’s still a lot of children who are yet to be vaccinated,” said Chan. Health Assistant Secretary Frances Mae Cherryl Ontalan said the vaccines that were given for free are safe and effective in preventing these contagious diseases. “No child should die of a disease that has an available vaccine,” Ontalan told the parents who were present during the launching.