By: Enah Fleur Mamac, Myque Rollon, Therence Mae Lamban & Chuking Pandia/UM Interns
THE CITY Health Office (CHO) Davao will kickstart its immunization campaign on May 2 to protect kids from debilitating and fatal diseases.
The campaign, dubbed “Chikiting Ligtas para sa dagdag bakuna kontra Polio, Rubella at Tigdas,” will run until May 31, 2023.
The immunization activity will be launched in Calinan on May 2 and fan out to Paquibato, Marilog, and other far-flung districts.
The program will provide children immunization shots for rubella, polio, and measles: 0 -59 months old for polio; and 9-59 months old for rubella and measles. The target recipient for polio shot is 161,799; the recipient for rubella and measles shots is 189,995.
Bakuna kontra Polio (OPV) will be given to children ages 0 to 59 months old, while Bakuna kontra Tigdas at Rubella (MR) for ages 9 to 59 months old.
Dr. Julinda Acosta, CHO chief of technical services, said the estimated target for Rubella (German Measles) vaccination is 161,799 children.
The initial target for Polio vaccination was 189,995, but they had to reduce it due to the delayed vaccine supply.
“Pioritize nato tung mga bata nga due for their routine oral Polio vaccination, ug katong mga bata na wala nila natapos ang ilang bakuna laban sa polio (We will prioritize those children due for their routine oral Polio vaccination and those children that were not done with their vaccination against polio),” Dr. Acosta said.
The health officer invites parents and guardians to bring their children to health centers and barangay stations to get immunized.
“Ug ang tanang kapitan, especially katong mga GIDA areas like Paquibato, Marilog… na-orient na po sila, and they will support our healthcare providers nga mag-adto sa mga lagyo nga mga lugar (All the barangay captains, especially from GIDA areas like Paquibato, Marilog, were already oriented, and they will support our healthcare providers who go to the far-flung areas)”, Acosta said.
GIDA, or Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, refers to vulnerable communities meeting the government’s criteria. For instance, a quarter of the population has no easy access to a hospital, a significant portion being indigenous people, or sitios (hamlets) are threatened by communist rebel presence.
Temporary vaccine posts will also be available at SM City Ecoland and SM Lanang Premiere, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some private hospitals in the city will also have fixed posts for the Chikiting Ligtas program.
