Children, whose ages are 5 and below, priority for mass vaccination of poliovirus

A baby gets an oral polio vaccine in this 2002 photo. | AFP file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The children ages 5 years old and below, who have not completed their poliovirus immunization, will be the priority for Cebu City’s mass vaccination to prevent polio infection after its presence has been detected in the Butuanon River.

City Health Officer Daisy Villa said that they had completed their inventory of the polio vaccines, and they only had enough for the routine immunization done to babies, a service freely offered to Cebu City residents.

However, the city does not have enough vaccines for the approximately 30,000 children aged five and below. The Cebu City Health Department (CHD) will need more funds to purchase the vaccines

“Unahon nato ang mga bata kay sila man gud ang grabe maapektuhan aning polio. Makaform gyod silag deformities. (We have to prioritize the children because they well be affected the most if infected with polio. They have more chances of having deformities),” said Villa.

Read more: Rama to CHD and CDRRMO: Make a comprehensive plan to fight polio, dengue

Villa said they had begun conducting surveys on the children, who had failed to complete their poliovirus immunization, which would come in four doses at each of the following ages: 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 through 18 months old, and 4 through 6 years old.

The vaccines should protect the vaccinated from poliomyelitis which causes infantile paralysis.

Read more: Mandaue launches mass vaccination for polio dose defaulters

Since the polio vaccination significantly decreased amid het dengvaxia scare of 2019, the CHD is left with the challenge of bringing back the faith of the public in the immunization process.

Butuanon environmental assessment

Since the disease can be spread through fecal matter entering the mouth, Villa said there would be a need for environmental assessment along the Butuanon River to ensure that there would be no households releasing fecal matter into the river.

The Butuanon River is a 23 kilometer river that cuts through Cebu City and Mandaue City.

Read more: Poliovirus in Butuanon River: Health and sanitation issues all rolled into one

She said only one out of 80 barangays actually had sufficient public restrooms with the proper septic treatment. 

She said that the rest of the barangays still had issues on proper septage, especially in densely populated areas.

This environmental concern increases the risk of the spread of polio during these times.

Read more: Capitol tells LGUs: Find unvaccinated children; clean up rivers to prevent polio

Still, Villa said that there had been no cases of polio yet in the city, and the city government had already put up as much precautionary measures as it could.

The Cebu City Health Department hopes to ask for a budget from the City Council in the next session. /dbs