DAVAO ORIENTAL—The Department of Health (DOH) has conducted an orientation to barangay officials and functionaries here in Davao Oriental to help health personnel in administering Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to children—a preventive measure following the outbreak of polio in the country.
A total of 188 participants have responded to the department’s call, affixing their signature on the commitment wall during the said activity at the Honey’s Hotel, City of Mati on November 5.
Provincial DOH Officer Dr. Gracita Berguia said that the activity aims to inform barangay officials of their responsibility in the polio outbreak response dubbed as “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio.”
“The Philippines has been a polio-free country for more than 20 years. Because of this recent outbreak we are alarmed. That’s why we are inviting workers in the barangay to orient them what is polio and what their responsibilities are in order to fight it. We do this because the Department of Health believe that we cannot do it alone. We need everyone to help,” she said
She said that Barangay officials and functionaries will help inform and convince the parents to have their children vaccinated with OPV. She said that target age range is 0 to 59 months old or below 5 years old being the most vulnerable to polio virus.
“It will be conducted for two weeks from November 25 to December 7. That is two consecutive weeks, including Sundays and holidays. And then next year again from January 5 to January 18,” she said.
Dr. Berguia is appealing to all parents to have their children immunized with OPV, stressing that while there is no cure for polio, it is highly preventable.
“Please, do not hesitate to let personnel in the field like doctors, nurses, midwives, HRA from Department of Health, Barangay Health Workers, and Barangay Health Scholars administer OPV to your children. It’s just two drops and your children will be safe from polio. We have to put an end to polio and no child should be left behind. Because once you have polio you will have that deformities, that disease forever,” she added.
LGU’s Support
Underlining the role of Local Government Units (LGUs) in their campaign for a polio-free region, Dr. Berguia said they have also tapped the Local Chief Executives of each municipality as well as of this province. City of Mati Mayor Michelle N. Rabat has expressed her support for the said campaign in a short message.
Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, who was represented by Dr. Reden Bersaldo, Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) Chief, said that the Provincial Government will “intensify the zero open defecation program for proper sanitation practices” to further stop the spread of the poliovirus. As explained by Dr. Berguia, poliovirus is transmitted through oral-fecal route.
Moreover, the Provincial Government, through DOPMC’s Public Health Section, conducts information dissemination drives about poliovirus and its prevention.
“We are more of the information drive through the public health section of the hospital. It is also being conducted by the Rural Health Centers, Barangay Health Stations, and the Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Herminigilda Nartatez and Dr. Joy Sanico. So, the hospital plays more of a role of information dissemination about how the polio virus is disseminated, how it can be prevented. We also diagnose if the patient is affected with polio or some other viral diseases which can mimic the signs and symptoms of polio,” Dr. Bersaldo said.
Dr. Nartatez also said in her speech that “Sabayang patak kontra polio” is “a very welcome project of the department of health.” By Riza M. Golez
