BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia appealed to residents yesterday to have their children vaccinated against measles-rubella and polio.
The free vaccination for babies 9 to 59 months old started Monday and will run until the end of the month, Leonardia said.
Oral polio vaccination will also be administered for children below five years old.
Leonardia also said that the measles-rubella, oral polio vaccine supplemental immunization activity will be conducted by the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development, in cooperation with the Bacolod City Health Office.
DOH records show that in 2020 alone, 48 cases of measles-rubella were recorded in Western Visayas but no deaths.
There were no reported polio cases in Region 6.
Leonardia said that “While we are still fighting the coronavirus pandemic, we are also facing the reality that there exist other infectious communicable diseases, such as measles and polio, that may cause lifetime disability and could also be fatal.”
He said it is a must to protect children from these diseases, hence vaccination is important. Leonardia added that parents, who wish to have their children vaccinated, may contact their respective barangay health centers for registration although the barangay health workers have already started to conduct surveys.*
