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Aquino leads launch of measles-polio mass immunization

Monday, September 01, 2014 02:05 AM    Views : 419by: Kristine Angeli Sabillo | INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to stem measles outbreak in various parts of the country, President Benigno Aquino III on Monday led the launch of the Department of Health's mass immunization campaign.

Assisted by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Aquino led the ceremonial distribution of oral polio vaccines to two children at the DOH's compound in Manila.

The measles-rubella oral polio mass vaccination campaign, which will last for a month, aims to cover at least 95 percent of all provinces, cities, municipalities and villages in the country.

The DOH said the measles immunization campaign was launched to address the measles outbreak that started during the latter part of 2013. Meanwhile, the oral polio vaccine was included to lessen the risk of the spread of wild polio virus due to importation from polio endemic countries.

The agency called on all children, aged 9 months to 59 months (around five years old) to be vaccinated for measles-rubella. Meanwhile, children from birth to five years will also be given oral polio vaccine.

Parents may bring their children to any health center from September 1 to 30, 2014 for free vaccination.

S & T Trivia

" Dr. Josefino Comiso, a Filipino physicist with NASA, first discovered a recurring polynya (semipermanent area of open water in sea ice) in the Cosmonaut Sea, south of the Indian Ocean. "

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