PRC administers measles vaccine on 1,307 children in Baseco, Tondo

By Jel Santos

A total of 1, 307 children in Baseco, Manila were administered with the measles vaccine by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) over the weekend.

Sen. Richard Gordon
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)

It was for the first phase of its community-based measles control program, PRC said.

According to PRC, 250 volunteers composed of doctors, nurses, health workers, and logistics assistants conducted house-to-house vaccination and station-based operations at the Corazon Aquino Health Center, in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

“We don’t stop at providing logistics support in overcrowded hospitals. We are working with the Department of Health and the local government to immunize the children. Una kaming nag-mass vaccination dito sa Manila dahil ito ang hotspot ng outbreak,” PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said.

He said that they were eyeing to undertake the immunization regularly, saying public and private organizations should help each other defeat measles.

Aside from vaccinating children, PRC also educated parents on the importance of vaccination to protect their children from acquiring contagious diseases.
The community-based measles control program is just one of PRC’s response to the measles outbreak.

To recall, PRC has installed measles care units or outdoor hospital wards in five hospitals namely San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Philippine General Hospital in Manila, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina, Cainta Municipal Hospital in Rizal, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.