OVER 130,000 children in the city received vaccination for Measles and Rubella (MR) from May 2 to June 15 this year.
The achievement propelled the city to become the second top performer for the Measles-Rubella Vaccination Supplemental Activity in Davao Region, during the month-and-a-half campaign.
Acting City Health Officer Dr. Tomas Miguel S. Ababon said from May 2- June 15, 2023, Davao City achieved 85.56 percent or vaccinated a total of 132,344 children aged 9-59 months in the entire Davao City for Measles and Rubella (MR) during the campaign.
The campaign targeted 9 -59 months old for the Measles and Rubella Vaccination.
The city is second only to Davao Oriental with 98.49% coverage, or equivalent to 51,236 children, and higher than the region’s top three, which is Davao Del Norte with 81.86 percent coverage or equal to 84,897 children.
The district top performers for MR Immunization are District D (Jacinto MHC with 119.95 percent coverage or equivalent to 2,940 children, District C (Mini Forest MHC) with 107.44 percent coverage or equivalent to 4,173 children; District A (Tomas Claudio MHC) with 106.40 percent coverage or equivalent to 5,072; Baguio District with 102.71 percent coverage or 3,481 children; and Marilog District with 101.34 percent coverage, which is equivalent to 5,385 children.
Based on the CHO accomplishment report, 82 out of the city’s 182 barangays, or 45.55 percent reached more than 100 percent of the MR target, while 33 out of the 182 barangays, or 18.33 percent had less than 80 percent accomplishments – mostly from Tugbok, Sasa, Talomo South, Talomo Central, Agdao, Bunawan, Buhangin, and Calinan districts.
Ababon said that the MR-SIA campaign was initiated with the Department of Health after it observed the sporadic number of measles cases, although not concentrated in one area.
“This is one strategy used by the Department of Health to prevent the outbreak of cases,” Ababon said.
Although the city was not able to reach the 95 percent DOH target due to such reasons as the high population target of DOH versus the actual number of children profiled, population displacement due to urbanization, outright refusal of the parents due to vaccine hesitancy, the belief of parents that the children do not need additional doses, lack of trust in the vaccines provided, parents believe that the vaccines are for COVID-19, not MR, deferrals due to acute Illness and/or Comorbidities, and the vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis which would need time interval before the MR shot, Ababon believes that because of the 85.56 percent accomplishment, the vaccination is already helpful in curbing the outbreak of measles cases.
“[With the 85 percent coverage], we expect a low number of cases or zero number of reported cases of measles in the coming days,” Ababon said.
He added that the immunization campaign against measles continues as it is a regular program of CHO.
“We are giving the same vaccines at the health centers every week. Every Wednesday is national immunization day so you’ll just go to the health centers nearest to your home, nearest you, to have your children immunized,” he further said.
