PRC-LED INITIATIVE VS FURTHER SPREAD OF MEASLES OUTBREAK, UNITES MANILA'S BARANGAYS

More than majority of the City of Manila's barangays on Thursday responded in unison to Senator Richard J. Gordon's call to action to prevent the measles outbreak in the city, which is considered as the "Ground Zero," where 1,296 measles cases and 18 deaths had been recorded from January 1 to February 9 this year.

Of Manila's 896 barangay captains, some 703 chairmen participated and assured support during the dialogue with Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, at the launching of the PRC's community-based measles control program.

"Mga kasama, mga lider ng barangay. Kailangan namin ng tulong niyo para mabakunahan ang mga bata. Tulungan niyo kaming ihatid ang tulong ng Philippine Red Cross sa inyong komunidad. Kailangan ng bayan ang malasakit natin.," he said during the launching of the PRC's Community based Measles Immunization Program - Dialogue with the Barangay Chairpersons, which is conducted in cooperation with the Department of Health and local government units.

Gordon asked the barangay leaders to work with the Red Cross in identifying and monitoring children who needs inoculation in every house in their respective areas of jurisdiction and during the vaccine distribution

The immunization program will be conducted in two modes - roving and stationary. Under the roving mode, a ten-member team which will include Red Cross volunteers, barangay health workers, and barangay officials, among others, will visit houses and inoculate eligible children.

For the stationary mode, on the other hand, immunization will be pre-arranged either in a school or any suitable venue in the area.

"Kailangan nating maitaas ang immunization rate natin sa measles. Lahat tayo labanan natin ang measles...Kung kaya niyong mangampanya sa bahay-bahay, kaya niyo ring mangatok para ipakita ang malasakit natin sa ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng immunization... Alam kayo magkukusang loob, magmamalasakit, magkakapwa-tao. We do not want our children to die!" Gordon said.