• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Eight of the 31 towns and component cities of Negros Occidental have already reached the Department of Health target of 95 percent in the supplemental immunization activity dubbed “Chikiting Ligtas 2023 campaign,” aimed at achieving herd immunity against measles, rubella and polio.
Overall, Negros Occidental logged an 87.94 percent accomplishment, having immunized 195,753 of the 222,590 targeted children.
Murcia led the top performing LGUs with 105.63 percent accomplishment, followed by Himamaylan City – 105.16 percent, Silay City – 101.93 percent, Talisay City – 99.21 percent, Kabankalan City – 97.42 percent, La Castellana – 95.88 percent, Candoni – 95.57 percent, and Moises Padilla – 95.52 percent, PHO records showed.
The month-long immunization activity was supposed to end May 31, but was extended to June 15 after DOH Western Visayas noted that Region 6 had yet to reach the desired 95 percent accomplishment rate in the supplemental immunization activity, in order to accomplish the herd immunity against measles, rubella and polio, diseases that commonly victimizes children 5 years below.
On the other hand, the Provincial Health Office also noted a marked reduction in dengue cases in Negros Occidental, registering a drop of 41.43 percent, as of May 27 this year.
Cases reduced from 809 during January to May 27 in 2022, to 309 cases in the same period this year, PHO records showed.
San Carlos City had the most dengue cases at 74.*
