ANTIQUE – Health authorities in Antique will roll out a provincewide Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA) from Aug. 10 to 28, targeting 56,730 children under five years old with measles-rubella (MR) vaccination and Vitamin A supplementation.
The Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO), in coordination with municipal and barangay local government units, will conduct simultaneous community-based immunization activities to reach children aged six to 59 months.
Antique Gov. Paolo Javier urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the free vaccination campaign to protect their children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Measles is one of the most devastating diseases that can spread to our children. Huwag natin hintayin na magkaka-measles outbreak bago pa man tayo umaksyon para magpabakuna. Libre na ito at kami sa gobyerno ang mismo lalapit sa inyo,” Javier said.
Vaccinations will be administered at fixed posts in each town’s Primary Care Facility (formerly Rural Health Unit) and at temporary vaccination sites, including barangay gymnasiums and barangay health centers, according to Tesie Mae Bañez, National Immunization Program coordinator of the OPHO.
Bañez said children who have already completed their routine childhood immunizations are still encouraged to receive the supplemental MR vaccine, which provides additional protection and helps strengthen community immunity.
She explained that fully immunized children can still be exposed to the measles virus and other vaccine-preventable diseases, making supplemental vaccination an important safeguard.
Data from the Department of Health-Western Visayas showed a decline in suspected measles cases in Antique. From January to May 23, 2025, the province recorded 22 suspected cases, compared with only eight during the same period this year.
Laboratory confirmation showed one rubella case in Laua-an in 2025 and one confirmed measles case in San Jose de Buenavista in 2026.
Last year, the OPHO also conducted a school-based immunization campaign that achieved high coverage among learners. A total of 9,111 Grade 1 pupils and 11,393 Grade 7 students received measles-rubella and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines, covering 97.47 percent and 97.35 percent of their respective target populations. In addition, 1,511 Grade 4 girls were vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Health officials said the upcoming campaign aims to sustain the province’s gains in preventing measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases while ensuring children receive essential Vitamin A supplementation./PN
