LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN — Gov. Ramon “Mon-mon” Guico III urged health workers in Pangasinan to conduct vaccination activities in the province’s far-flung areas to ensure that every child aged 0 to 59 months would be vaccinated against measles, Rubella, and polio.
“We should also intensify our information dissemination campaign to educate parents because it is them who will decide whether their children should be vaccinated or not,” Governor Guico said.
On Wednesday (May 3), Governor Guico launched this year’s measles, Rubella, and oral poliovirus vaccine supplementation activity in the province at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center 2 here by administering an oral poliovirus vaccine to his four-year-old daughter Eliza Rae, assisted by his wife, Ms. Maan Tuazon Guico.
Also vaccinated during the activity were some 200 children enrolled at the Child Care and Development Center of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and children of provincial capitol employees.
Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, said that this year’s target of the measles and Rubella vaccination campaign are some 262,944 children aged 9 to 59 months old, while some 307,548 children aged 0 to 59 months are being targeted to be given oral poliovirus vaccine.
At least 95 percent of the eligible children must be vaccinated at the end of the month-long campaign, according to De Guzman.
But she said that the challenge for them this year is to maintain, if not surpass her office’s achievement in 2020, when they vaccinated more than 99 percent of their target for measles and Rubella vaccines, and 96 percent of their target for oral poliovirus vaccine.
Dr. Valerie Tesoro, director of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Health Laboratories Office, said that in 2022, DOH listed 225 measles cases in the country, adding that at least 15 of them were recorded in Pangasinan.
This year, no confirmed cases have yet been reported in the province.
“Let’s learn from Covid-19. Covid-19 has shown us that collective and concerted action works. Vaccination works. We must exercise the same vigor for children immunization to make sure that children in the country, especially in Pangasinan, do not get left behind,” Tesoro said.
According to the World Health Organization website, measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.
Likewise, Rubella or German measles is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Most people who get Rubella usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Polio or poliomyelitis, on the other hand, is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years old. The virus, which is transmitted by person-to-person spread, can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.
Governor Guico thanked the DOH, its partners, and all those involved in the vaccination program.
“Let’s target zero cases. Everybody should be vaccinated. Let’s help each other for us to achieve what we need to achieve,” Governor Guico said. By GC-Pangasinan PIO
