The Department of Health is launching a 20-day door-to-door immunization campaign from April 4 to May 4, 2011 to vaccinate 18 million Filipino children aged 9 months to 8 years against measles and rubella. The campaign aims to eliminate cases of measles and rubella and reduce the number of children at risk by reaching a 95% vaccination coverage. Measles cases have been increasing, with over 70% occurring in unvaccinated children, and the vaccine is effective, safe, inexpensive and can prevent deaths from these diseases. Health workers will vaccinate eligible children through home visits and mark houses of those vaccinated.
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The Department of Health is launching a 20-day door-to-door immunization campaign from April 4 to May 4, 2011 to vaccinate 18 million Filipino children aged 9 months to 8 years against measles and rubella. The campaign aims to eliminate cases of measles and rubella and reduce the number of children at risk by reaching a 95% vaccination coverage. Measles cases have been increasing, with over 70% occurring in unvaccinated children, and the vaccine is effective, safe, inexpensive and can prevent deaths from these diseases. Health workers will vaccinate eligible children through home visits and mark houses of those vaccinated.
The Department of Health is launching a 20-day door-to-door immunization campaign from April 4 to May 4, 2011 to vaccinate 18 million Filipino children aged 9 months to 8 years against measles and rubella. The campaign aims to eliminate cases of measles and rubella and reduce the number of children at risk by reaching a 95% vaccination coverage. Measles cases have been increasing, with over 70% occurring in unvaccinated children, and the vaccine is effective, safe, inexpensive and can prevent deaths from these diseases. Health workers will vaccinate eligible children through home visits and mark houses of those vaccinated.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
The Department of Health is launching a 20-day door-to-door immunization campaign from April 4 to May 4, 2011 to vaccinate 18 million Filipino children aged 9 months to 8 years against measles and rubella. The campaign aims to eliminate cases of measles and rubella and reduce the number of children at risk by reaching a 95% vaccination coverage. Measles cases have been increasing, with over 70% occurring in unvaccinated children, and the vaccine is effective, safe, inexpensive and can prevent deaths from these diseases. Health workers will vaccinate eligible children through home visits and mark houses of those vaccinated.
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Ria Zyra L. Battad R.N.
Group V
“The Latest Thrust in Department Of Health for 2011”
In partial fulfillment of the requirements in MNCS 109 Seminar in Community Health Nursing
“ILIGTAS SA TIGDAS ANG PINAS”
Summary:
On April 4, 2011, the Department of Health (DOH) is launching a 20-day
special door-to-door immunization campaign to vaccinate 18 million Filipino children (aged 9 months to below 8 years old) against measles and German measles (Rubella). The campaign will last until May 4. Measles is a highly contagious disease which can be fatal. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. Immunity against measles is developed following vaccination. Vaccination is the only way to prevent measles and German measles.
Confirmed measles cases have increased from only 453 in 2007 to 1840 in 2011. More than 70% of these cases were among children who had not been vaccinated against measles. A total of 30 children died in 2010 and as of the February 19,2011 two children have children died from measles. It is alarming because no child should die from measles because measles vaccines is free and available nationwide.
The campaign is part of the Aquino Health Agenda of providing universal
access to health for all Filipinos. The DoH allocated Php 600 million to buy and distribute the vaccines, needles, and syringes, and to organize and mobilize the health workers, and to produce communication materials. It costs only PhP 67 to protect a child from measles and rubella. It costs between PhP 500 to 15,000 to treat a child with measles.
Major measles outbreaks have been reported in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan,
and Zamboanga del Norte in 2010. DOH data until the 7th week(Feb 13-19) of 2011, showed that there confirmed measles cases in (21 sites) Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Metro Manila, Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Iloilo, Southern Leyte, Samar, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Davao Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, Agusan Norte.
Specially trained health workers or Vaccination Teams will do door-to-door
visits to administer the MR vaccine to all eligible children. They will carry proper identification cards. The MR vaccine will be given to all eligible children through a one-shot injection at home. After a visit, the health workers will mark the house with a yellow campaign sticker, containing the following information: number and age of children vaccinated, date of vaccination, signature of vaccination team, and other remarks.
Implications:
According to DOH-CAR Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit
head, Dr. Nicolas Gordo, there were 476 recorded measles cases in the region in 2010, wherein 81 of which were laboratory confirmed. There were also already 95 cases recorded, wherein 15 were laboratory confirmed during the first eight weeks of this year.
There was a national anti-measles campaign in 2008 but it has failed to
reach the targeted 95 percent of children nationwide . In the Cordillera, we only averaged about 80 percent of the target, which is why there is also an increase in the number of un-immunized children. Also, based on the last national anti- measles campaign (in 2008), 20 percent of the 40,000 target or about 8,000 children has not been reached or immunized, which make them vulnerable or susceptible to measles and rubella, wherein if it gets complications could lead to the death of a child.
The door to door MR vaccination campaign aims to eliminate the
occurrence of both common measles (tigdas) and Rubella (German measles) cases.
What does the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine do?
Building up the child’s resistance will help him/her prevent sickness and promote health for proper growth and development. Immunization is one way of doing this. The vaccine gives the child an immunity (protection) against measles and rubella.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the MR vaccine is
safe, effective and inexpensive. A child who already had measles vaccine must be vaccinated again with this supplemental or additional dose of MR vaccine.
Other ways of building a child’s resistance are through exclusive
breastfeeding from birth to six months, continued breastfeeding and complementary feeding after six months, and routine vitamin A supplementation every six months. The objectives of this special immunization campaign are to:
(1) Reduce the number of children who are at risk of getting measles
(2) Reach a 95% coverage of eligible children
DoH urges mothers, fathers, and caregivers of children to open their doors to the vaccination teams and have their children vaccinated during this special campaign.
A measles-free certification will be given to the provinces/cities that will
meet the following:
(1) No missed child and at least 95% coverage
(2) No measles cases for 3 months after the campaign
