The City of Makati has achieved, for the second time this year, the highest oral polio vaccine (OPV) coverage rate among 17 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila from Nov. 25 to Dec. 8, according to the Department of Health.
DOH report dated Dec. 8 showed that a total of 69,739 children aged zero to 59 months were vaccinated during the second round of the OPV drive or 140.54 percent of the city’s target population, which is 49,623.
A total of 1,404,517 children received the OPV in Metro Manila or 109.99 percent of its target population of 1,276,984.
“This achievement shows that Makatizens have extended their full cooperation to the city government by having their kids vaccinated. The city is fully committed to keeping our kids safe and healthy,” Mayor Abigail Binay said.
She said doctors and MHD staff have been conducting house visits since October 14 to provide OPV to children who are vulnerable to polio.
Apart from the OPV, the mayor urged parents to have their children inoculated with BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Pentavalent vaccine, PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine), Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) vaccine, MR (Measles and Rubella) vaccine, and MMR (Measles, Mumps and, Rubella) vaccine.
The city’s 26 health centers give these vaccines to infants and children aged 0 to 59 months, free of charge.
MHD chief Dr. Bernard Sese explained that newborns must receive BCG and Hepatitis B vaccine to prevent diseases such as Hepatitis B and to prevent complications of tuberculosis such as extrapulmonary TB.
He said infants between six and 14 weeks old must be inoculated with Pentavalent vaccine, PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine), HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) vaccine, and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to protect them from diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, influenza B, pneumonia, and polio.
Babies who are nine months old must be vaccinated with MR vaccine to protect them against measles and MMR vaccine to protect them against mumps.
This is followed by school-based immunization of MR (Kinder to Grade 7), Tetanus and Diphtheria (TD) vaccine (Grade 1 to 7), and HPV at Grade 4 (9 to 14 years old), Sese said.
Mayor Binay also urged parents and school administrators to keep their surroundings clean to prevent kids from contracting communicable diseases.
“Community involvement is very important to prevent these diseases. Residents, students, and employees may report dirty households, campuses, business establishments, and offices to their respective barangays for proper action,” she added.
Last Oct. 27, the DOH said Makati posted the highest coverage rate among all cities in Metro Manila during the first round of the oral polio vaccination drive from October 14 to 27.
The synchronized polio vaccination started on October 14 following reports of new polio cases in the country.
The Philippines was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2000 but two new cases have been confirmed in September this year after the Department of Health recorded cases of polio in Lanao del Sur and Laguna.
Two new polio cases have since been confirmed in Mindanao, last October and November, bringing the total to four polio cases in the country to date.
The DOH earlier said polio can be prevented by washing hands regularly before handling, preparing or eating food and when feeding children or the elderly.