CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon has appealed to local government victors in the last May 10 elections to give priority to measles vaccination in their areas amid reports that measles in the region has increased by about 2,500 percent.
In an interview with Punto, DOH regional epidemiologist Dr. Jessie Fantone said that as of yesterday, his office had monitored 518 cases of measles since last January. This, he noted, is much higher than the only 20 cases reported in May last year.,
Bulacan topped the list with 145 measles cases, followed by Nueva Ecija with 112, Pampanga with 99, Tarlac with 73, Bataan with 55 and Zambales with 34. Report from Aurora was unavailable.
“This is the effect being felt only now from the failure in the measles vaccination campaign three years ago when there were also local elections,” Fantone said.
He urged local officials either newly elected or reelected to again occupy their posts for the next three years after the last May 10 elections to give priority of measles and other vaccinations in their localities.
“Measles is preventable by vaccines which is available from the DOH. The problem seems to be at the local level,” he said.
Fantone and other DOH regional officials met two weeks ago with health workers from various parts of Central Luzon to identify problems on measles vaccination.
“Some said that mayors who assumed post had appointed new midwives or health personnel unfamiliar with the vaccination campaign. In other areas, the local officials failed to provide logistics needed for a vaccination drive,” he lamented.
“The good news is that we have no deaths from the measles cases, because parents brought their children to doctors for early treatment,” he noted, adding that fatal cases of pneumonia could develop from measles.
This, even as Fantone also reported slightly higher cases of dengue fever in Central Luzon compared to last year’s.
He cited reports as of yesterday that 617 dengue fever cases in Central Luzon, as compared to only 510 such cases as of May last year.
Three deaths arising from dengue, however, is lower than the seven fatalities over the same period last year. This year, two of the fatalities were in Pampanga, and one in Bulacan.
Nueva Ecija ranked first with 204 dengue cases, Bulacan with 177, Pampanga with 127, Zambales with 45, Bataan with 21, Aurora with 21 and, Tarlac with 19.
Fantone said the DOH is closely monitoring dengue amid expectations that the dry El Niño weather phenomenon would be taken over by rainy La Niña. Dengue is transmitted by Aedes Egypti mosquitoes which breed in stagnant pools of water.
In an interview with Punto, DOH regional epidemiologist Dr. Jessie Fantone said that as of yesterday, his office had monitored 518 cases of measles since last January. This, he noted, is much higher than the only 20 cases reported in May last year.,
Bulacan topped the list with 145 measles cases, followed by Nueva Ecija with 112, Pampanga with 99, Tarlac with 73, Bataan with 55 and Zambales with 34. Report from Aurora was unavailable.
“This is the effect being felt only now from the failure in the measles vaccination campaign three years ago when there were also local elections,” Fantone said.
He urged local officials either newly elected or reelected to again occupy their posts for the next three years after the last May 10 elections to give priority of measles and other vaccinations in their localities.
“Measles is preventable by vaccines which is available from the DOH. The problem seems to be at the local level,” he said.
Fantone and other DOH regional officials met two weeks ago with health workers from various parts of Central Luzon to identify problems on measles vaccination.
“Some said that mayors who assumed post had appointed new midwives or health personnel unfamiliar with the vaccination campaign. In other areas, the local officials failed to provide logistics needed for a vaccination drive,” he lamented.
“The good news is that we have no deaths from the measles cases, because parents brought their children to doctors for early treatment,” he noted, adding that fatal cases of pneumonia could develop from measles.
This, even as Fantone also reported slightly higher cases of dengue fever in Central Luzon compared to last year’s.
He cited reports as of yesterday that 617 dengue fever cases in Central Luzon, as compared to only 510 such cases as of May last year.
Three deaths arising from dengue, however, is lower than the seven fatalities over the same period last year. This year, two of the fatalities were in Pampanga, and one in Bulacan.
Nueva Ecija ranked first with 204 dengue cases, Bulacan with 177, Pampanga with 127, Zambales with 45, Bataan with 21, Aurora with 21 and, Tarlac with 19.
Fantone said the DOH is closely monitoring dengue amid expectations that the dry El Niño weather phenomenon would be taken over by rainy La Niña. Dengue is transmitted by Aedes Egypti mosquitoes which breed in stagnant pools of water.
