DAVAO ORIENTAL — Although there is no treatment for Polio, this crippling infectious disease is highly preventable.
And so, the Provincial Government in partnership with the Department of Health is making sure that no child will be left behind in the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio program in the province of Davao Oriental.
The Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio program is an approach to address the polio resurgence after 19 years of being a polio-free country.This vaccination program is a high quality outbreak response strategy, targetting 95 percent of children 5 years old and below, in each barangay, municipality, city in selected regions.
During the Orientation of Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio held on November 21, 2019 at the Honey’s Hotel and Restaurant, Matiao, City of Mati, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) explained that the orientation is in preparation for another round of the polio vaccination, the “monovalent” oral polio vaccine, slated on November 25 to December 7, 2019.
“We really have to make sure that children 5 years old and below get immunized with the anti-polio vaccine. We have to do this together in response to the polio outbreak,” said Dr. Herminigilda Nartates, Provincial Health Officer II of Davao Oriental.
The Integrated Provincial Health Office furthered that the vaccines shall be sourced out from the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and will be distributed by the Department of Health and the UNICEF.
The involved local government units shall also organize their respective management team and activate their emergency operation centers and should convene regularly.
Dr. Joy Sanico, Provincial Health Officer I, furthered that their partners are also very important with their roles to complement the efforts of the government.
“We recognize the big role of our partners, the LGU’s, the barangays, and agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, religious groups, media, and others. They are all in support to the program. By working together, we make the work easier,” she added.
Reinforcing the efforts, particularly for the barangays, is to identify the beneficiary children and to come up with a legislation for compliance to the Zero Open Defecation Program and make sure the children get immunized.
To distinguish a vaccinated child, there will be a mark from an indelible ink in the child’s hand.
Sanico reported also that there will be strategies in implementing the anti-polio immunization.
The vaccination team will be making a house to house delivery of service, vaccination in fixed and permanent health facilities, and the special vaccination session.
Highlight of the orientation program was the signing of the pledge of commitment among the participants on the response against polio.
Participants of the orientation were health officers, nurses, punong barangays, department heads, and national agencies.
Governor Nelson Dayanghirang commended the IPHO in its aggressive compliance to the program for a polio-free Davao Oriental.
The next round of the anti- polio vaccine is set on January 6-12, 2020 which will be done simultaneously in Mindanao. By: Neela Duallo/Photos by Rhea Shane Laureano
