Reaction in case of measles outbreak: several organizations work together

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) has partnered with many government agencies to combat the measles epidemic in several parts of the country.

"The Ministry of Health is working alongside other government agencies to respond quickly to mitigate the measles outbreak. This government is conducting a mbadive information and vaccination campaign to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your community, "said Secretary of Health Francisco T. Duque III.

The Department of Education has sought the help of the Ministry of Education (DepEd) to vaccinate school-aged children as part of its response to the measles outbreak when 39, a meeting that has been held recently.

Under the joint leadership of Secretary Duque and Secretary Leonor M. Briones de Deped, the two agencies agreed to establish a working group to create and coordinate monitoring mechanisms in schools and guidelines for dissemination of information. Information to strengthen the implementation of the vaccination against epidemics (ORI). .

Secretary Francisco Duque III said:

"The Ministry of Health is actively working with other government agencies to fight the measles outbreak. I am grateful to Secretary Briones and the Department of Education for their continued cooperation and support. "

DepEd needs to collect key measles data from schools, collaborate with health center staff to monitor missing students and conduct a measles badessment by clbadifying children as vaccinated, questionable or unvaccinated.

The head of health revealed that immunization activities would take place in schools and communities until March and that it was expected that the number of cases would start to decrease at that time, the number of susceptible people having already been vaccinated in March. Adults who want to be vaccinated against measles can go to any health center.

To deal with the measles epidemic in the country, a fast track measles will be established in all the hospitals of the Ministry of Health, a checklist for local authorities and consent forms will be developed and coordination will be set up with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to inform local governments of their targets. The DILG group will ask local authorities to extend their vaccination schedules beyond normal working hours and possibly on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Ministry of Social Welfare and Development will involve daycare workers in vaccinating their students and will appeal to 4Ps beneficiaries, who are also their parents, to ensure that their child is vaccinated, while the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Education will collect data on the number of measles affected students, coordinate with the health center for absent students and track schoolchildren opting for vaccination by a private practitioner.

The Department of Transport, meanwhile, will be involved in the distribution of vaccines and other necessary logistics, especially in emergencies, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines will deploy medical personnel to geographically or geographically disadvantaged areas. of conflict. military treatment facilities and ensure the safety of health workers.

The Philippine news agency will continue to advocate and raise public awareness and ensure that messages written in the local vernacular language reach every barangay.

Earlier this week, the Department of Health reported that a total of 4,302 cases of measles were reported from January 1 to February 9, including 70 deaths.

Sixty-six percent of them had no history of measles vaccination. Of the deaths, 79% had no vaccination history.

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