• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental logged a 91.61 percent accomplishment rate in the Department of Health Chikiting Ligtas 2023 campaign, as the Provincial Health Office immunized 203,906 children out of targeted 222,590 kids with ages five years and below.
The DOH Western Visayas Center for Health and Development extended the supplemental immunization activity from May 31 to June 15 this year, after failing to reach its 95 percent target needed to achieve herd immunity against measles, rubella and polio.
Among the 31 component cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, only 11 local government units managed to reach the 95 percent target.
Murcia is the top performer with 108.86 percent accomplishment. It was followed by Himamaylan City – 106.89 percent, Silay City – 104.01 percent, Candoni – 101.75 percent, Talisay City – 100.36 percent, Kabankalan City – 99.88 percent, La Castellana – 98.91 percent, Moises Padilla – 97.99 percent, Sagay City – 97.10 percent, Cadiz City – 95. 42 percent, and Isabela – 95.31 percent.
Records of the Provincial Health Office showed that Murcia’s target for Measles-Rubella was 7,244 beneficiaries, while the actual accomplishment was 7,866.
For meritorious service and participation during the 2023 Measles-Rubella bivalent Oral Poliovirus Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-boPV SIA) from May 1 to June, DOH Western Visayas regional director Dr. Adriano Suba-an yesterday conferred Negros Occidental with a certificate of recognition.
Negros Occidental has been a consistent top performer in the supplemental immunization campaign, among provinces and highly urbanized cities in Region 6. Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson lauded the accomplishment of Provincial Health Office under the leadership of acting head Dr. Girlie Pinongan.*
