Teach English Online

By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

With the announcement of three additional circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases on the island of Mindanao this week, The Department of Health (DOH) announced Thursday its collaboration with McDonald’s Philippines for the succeeding rounds of the Synchronized Polio Vaccination in Metro Manila and Mindanao.

Poliovirus Image/CDC

Selected McDonalds stores in Metro Manila and in Mindanao will set-up Patak Polio Corners for the scheduled synchronized polio vaccination in NCR and Mindanao on Nov. 25 to Dec. 7 this year, and in Mindanao from Jan. 6 to 18 next year. Polio immunization will also be conducted in McDonald’s Bahay Bulilit Learning Centers where children are taught basic skills in preparation for formal schooling.

“With the recent news on health outbreaks in the country, McDonald’s Philippines recognizes the role it could play in making a long lasting difference in the lives of Filipinos,” said McDonalds Philippines President and CEO Kenneth Yang.

“Our partnership with the Department of Health will allow us to take part in their preventive efforts against Polio in the country. With children most prone to the exposure to the disease, and with children’s welfare a priority of the company, we are further driven to support this program of the government,” he added.

The initial round of the Synchronized Polio Vaccination reported 96% coverage among children 0-59 months old from the 17 cities/municipality in NCR. Davao del Sur recorded 92% coverage from its 10 city/municipalities while Lanao del Sur reported 85% coverage from 40 city/municipalities. The Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio campaign aims to vaccinate all children below 5 years old regardless of Polio vaccination status.

“We are pleased to work with McDonald’s Philippines as we will have more vaccination sites for mothers and caregivers to go to. We are relentless in making this health service accessible and available to all, consistent with our goal of Universal Health Care,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III concluded.

Since September, seven circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases have been reported, the first polio cases reported in the country in nearly 20 years.

The Philippine Inquirer reported today that the Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring more possible cases of polio.

This was affirmed by Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo, who said there are still other cases awaiting confirmation from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.