ILOILO City — Alarmed by a sharp increase in measles-rubella cases and declining immunization coverage, the Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas is preparing to vaccinate more than 400,000 children next month in a major effort to prevent a potential outbreak of the highly contagious disease across the region.
From Aug. 10 to 28, 2026, 408,114 children aged six to 59 months are being targeted under the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR SIA) and Vitamin A supplementation campaign.
The intensified vaccination drive comes as measles-rubella cases in the region jumped by 41 percent in 2025, highlighting growing concerns over the increasing number of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children.
“The numbers continue to rise. For the past few years, we have not achieved the ideal immunization coverage of 95 percent. This has led to a significant number of under-vaccinated and unvaccinated children within the region,” said Dr. Jose Martin Atienza, immunization program coordinator of DOH Region 6.
Records showed that measles-rubella cases increased to 444 in 2025 from 314 in 2024, although no deaths or major outbreak clusters were reported.
Atienza stressed that measles remains one of the most contagious vaccine-preventable diseases and warned that communities with low vaccination rates remain vulnerable to outbreaks.
“Vaccine-preventable diseases, like measles, can be effectively controlled through comprehensive immunization programs. These vaccines are readily available and accessible at health centers operated by local government units,” he said.
He assured parents and caregivers that vaccines administered under the National Immunization Program are safe, effective and free.
“Our vaccines are proven to be safe, effective, and most importantly, they are provided free of charge to protect our children from the most common vaccine-preventable diseases,” Atienza said.
The health official noted that about 60 percent of reported measles cases involved individuals who had not received vaccination, underscoring the critical role of immunization in preventing disease transmission.
Atienza also addressed vaccine hesitancy, urging parents to have their children immunized and emphasizing that all vaccines endorsed by the DOH have undergone rigorous safety testing and have been approved by the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration.
The Western Visayas campaign forms part of Phase III of the nationwide MR SIA program. Earlier phases were conducted in Mindanao and are currently ongoing in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces./PN
