• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental remains number one in the vaccination of children against measles, rubella and polio, during the three weeks of ongoing Chikiting Ligtas campaign in Western Visayas, according to records of the Department of Health Western Visayas.
Of the 222,590 children being eyed for vaccination in Negros Occidental until end of this month, a total of 152,676 kids with ages 5 years old and below, were inoculated, representing 68.59 percent of their targets.
Provincial Health Office OIC Dr. Girlie Pinongan said Himamaylan City is the top performer with 98.67 percent accomplishment, while other big local government units, such as San Carlos City, Cauayan and Kabankalan City, that have low coverage percentage in vaccination, are devising strategies on increasing the number of vaccinated children, especially in far flung barangays.
Murcia followed Himamaylan City with 85.70 percent accomplishment, Talisay City – 84.81 percent, Silay City – 83.85 percent, and La Castellana – 82.18 percent, forming the top five performing LGUs, DOH records further showed.
With two weeks remaining, Negros Occidental has to inoculate 58,785 more children to achieve the target of 95 percent.
COVID-19
Pinongan maintained that COVID 19 cases in the province remains also to be manageable, although she noted an increase in admissions at the Cadiz District Hospital, the COVID designated medical facility in Negros Occidental.
But those are not severe cases, with most patients unvaccinated, she stressed.
As of May 16, the PHO recorded 19 patients who tested positive for COVID-19, after being admitted for respiratory ailments and gastroenteritis cases.
Pinongan also announced the availability of the Pfizer vaccine, which will expire on May 31, and Sinovac vaccines for primary vaccination and booster shots.
As of May 16, Negros Occidental has logged 168 active cases.*
