The Department of Health will conduct a catch-up measles immunization campaign in the Davao Region after recording 1,754 cases of the vaccine preventable disease in 2019.
Davao Center for Health Development regional director Dr. Annabel Yumang issued the catch-up immunization advisory on January 13, 2020 stating that of the areas in the region, Davao City registered the most number of cases with 683 with deaths; followed by Davao del Norte with 395 cases with 5 deaths; Davao de Oro comes third with 235 cases with 2 deaths.
Davao Oriental has 289 cases with no fatality; Davao del Sur with 127 cases and 0 death; and the least recorded measles cases was Davao Occidental with only 25 cases and zero fatality.
Based on the health advisory, the most affected age group are less than 1-year old at 35%, while 20% for the 1-4 year old children. Most of the cases have no history of vaccination at 69.6% while the rest have incomplete vaccinations. In addition, 90% of the deaths recorded were from the less than 5-year old children.
Dr. Yumang directed local health authorities prioritize unvaccinated children and those children who have missed a measles containing vaccine dose for the catch-up immunization.
Yumang also directed for the prioritization of barangays with cluster of measles cases, including the hard to reach or geographically isolated, urban poor and depressed areas.
City of Mati Health Officer Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan said that the measles vaccine arrived at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine on December 22, 2019 and are now being processed for distribution.
While waiting for the arrival of the vaccines, Dr. Catbagan said they have strengthened their surveillance measures down to the barangay level. The Mati CHO also provided supportive medications to prevent complications.
Parents and school authorities were also advised to seek early treatment for fever and rash complainants. They have also encouraged for the quarantine of patients for two weeks with frequent monitoring by health workers.
Isolation rooms for pedia and adults measles patients are also now being prepared at the hospital. Catbagan said they need support for additional personnel to man the isolation wards since most of their health personnel will be utilized in the thrd round of the polio immunization campaign slated to start on Januar 20 until February 2.
Catbagan said that they have observed a decrease on the number of admission of measles patients to 1 or 2 per day in Mati City though, but admitted that measles transmission is still happening in some areas of the city.
The Mati CHO chief said they are sustaining their advocacy measures by giving public health warning and advisory on how to prevent transmission of measles. (CIO MATI)