CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Provincial Capitol of Pampanga led by Governor Lilia Pineda supported the Department of Health (DOH) as it jumpstarted their province-wide measles catch-up vaccination campaign at the Infirmary ward here benefitting 604 children.
These children who benefitted from the immunizations were from Brgy. Sto Tomas and Sta Lucia here.
The stronger campaign was due to reported 103 suspected cases of measles in the province recorded last year according to Dr. Mar Jaochico, Provincial Health Officer.
The Provincial health officer disclosed that the Provincial Health Office registered suspected cases from Mabalacat, 23; Arayat ,11; Macabebe, 1; Masantol, 9; Porac,3; City of San Fernando, 4; Sta Ana,9; Sto Tomas, 4; Candaba, 1; Lubao, 1; Mexico, 1 and Angeles City,2.
Jaochico also said that from those 103 reported cases, 39 are confirmed positive with the virus but he added that there were no recorded deaths or outbreak in the province and the situation in Pampanga is under control.
DOH regional director Dr. Leonita Gorgolon urges mothers to have their children to health centers in their barangays as the department expands their immunization campaign.
The DOH reminded that the campaign period will run until February 3 only and health centers will provide free measles shots from Mondays to Fridays, from 8 am to 12 noon as other health services will also be available to mothers and their families.
Gorgolon also expressed her thanks to Governor Pineda for the Provincial Government’s quick response in the implementation of the expanded anti-measles campaign Pampanga that will cover thousands of kapampangan children ranging from ages 6 months to 3 years.
Governor Pineda, on the other hand, vowed that through the help of DOH and the barangay health workers, they will strengthen other routine immunization for the young ones.
The Governor also said that mothers should be thankful to DOH for their efforts and initiative in combating the spreading virus and their concern to the Kapampangan children even there are no reported deaths among children 3 years of age and below.
She added that the Provincial Government shall deploy additional health workers to further prevent the feared measles outbreak and to urge mothers to bring their children to barangay health centers.
DOH explained that the communicable disease can spread through cough or direct contact on body secretions of an infected person and can be passed to 18 other people.
One of the Department’s official said that measles is viral and a highly contagious respiratory disease. “A person infected with measles may show symptoms such as high fever, red eyes, runny nose, and cough. Rashes appear throughout the body after two days,” the official said.
The city mayor Edwin Santiago, Provincial nutritionist Rose Butiu, Governor’s Chief of Staff Fritzie David-Dizon and other doctors in the province also graced the Province-wide measles catch-up vaccination campaign kick-off activity.
By: BEA JEANNEL DELOS REYES
