IPHO-Maguindanao confirms 7 new polio cases
HEALTH • 13:45 PM Sat Jan 18, 2020
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
Maguindanao health providers administer anti-polio vaccination to a baby in one of 36 towns in Maguindanao during the second "Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio" on Nov. 25 to Dec. 7, 2019. (Photo from IPHO-Maguindanao)
COTABATO CITY – Health authorities in Maguindanao today confirmed seven new cases of polio as of January this year as health workers prepare for another round of massive vaccination on Jan. 20.
The new cases were confirmed by ground health providers one case each in the towns of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Rajah Buayan, Datu Piang, Datu Hofer, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Abdullah Sangki and Datu Anggal Midtimbang, according to Dr. Elizabeth Samama, Maguindanao health chief.
“Eight month to four years old,” Samama said of the ages of those found positive to have been hit by polio virus. Earlier, two confirmed polio cases were (both males aged 2 and 3) were monitored in Maguindanao.
On January 20, more than 1,000 ground health workers, will again trooped to houses across the province to administer the second round of anti-polio vaccination to children aged 59 months old and below.
She said during the first round of massive vaccination last year at least 98 percent of the 195,068 children in Maguindanao (or 191,065) have received anti-polio drops.
The 4,003 of these target children have not been vaccinated because of the refusal of their parents during the second round of vaccination. Samama again appealed to all parents in Maguindanao to make their children available for vaccination.
“Anti-polio drops safe, no overdose with the oral polio vaccine, no side effects and the most effective protection of children against polio virus,” she said, stressing the vaccines are “halal” (allowed by Islamic faith).
“Please make your children protected against polio virus,” she told parents in Maguindanao.