malaysiangThe Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has announced its participation in ‘Chikiting Ligtas,’ the Department of Health’s (DOH) measles-rubella and polio supplementary immunization campaign, set to take place nationwide from May 1 to 31. The program is designed to avert an outbreak of measles, following the lower-than-expected turnout in previous immunization campaigns, especially at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign seeks to administer the measles-rubella vaccine to children 9 to 59 months old and the polio vaccine to children zero to 59 months old. In 2021, the PRC also supported DOH’s measles-rubella and polio vaccination programs and immunized 1,056,209 children against polio and 193,241 children against measles. The humanitarian organization’s involvement in the immunization drive is part of its commitment to promote primary healthcare coverage, which includes immunization. “We are proud to be part of this campaign to eliminate measles, rubella, and polio in the Philippines. As an organization that is committed to promoting health and well-being, we believe that the power of immunization cannot be overstated. It is a vital tool in protecting our communities and preventing the spread of diseases,’ PRC chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said in a news release on Monday. ‘I encourage everyone to work together and ensure that every person, especially the most vulnerable, has access to life-saving vaccines,” he added. In coordination with local governments and local health officers, the PRC is set to mobilize its vaccination teams across its 102 chapters nationwide to support the DOH’s campaign to eliminate measles, rubella, and polio in the Philippines. The PRC chapters will also help in the communication and advocacy part of the campaign. PRC will mobilize its barangay-based RC 143 volunteers and encourage doctors and nurses to join its vaccination teams. All vaccines will be sourced from the DOH. The PRC vaccination teams will be trained both by the local government units and the PRC health services department.
Source: Philippines News Agency
