Support anti-measles campaign, LGU execs told

MANILA, Philippines — Local government officials should be proactive partners in the measles vaccination campaign, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday.

“The measles outbreak was fueled by a scare which can be corrected through intensive information dissemination. The nationwide immunization campaign is a vehicle for us to reverse the measles outbreak... We turn to our LGUs (local government units) to be our partners in encouraging parents to have their children immunized,” Año said in a statement. 

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular 2019-47 calling on LGUs to ensure the participation of local health workers in the anti-measles drive.

Año said LGU officials should encourage their constituents to bring all suspected measles cases to health facilities.

“Let us not wait for another death. For the longest time, we have measles under control... we can do it again through the LGUs’ proactive involvement and cooperation of the communities,” he said. 

Año said the outbreak should be addressed “before it gets out of hand.”

He expressed concern that the 23,000 cases in the first three months of this year exceeded the figures reported in the past year.

The DILG chief said concerned LGUs could utilize their calamity funds to cover the expenses in the immunization drive, among other measures to fight the disease.