By Jel Santos

For the second time this year, Makati City has attained the highest oral polio vaccine (OPV) coverage rate among the 17 cities and municipality in Metro Manila from November 25 to December 28.

This was according to the Department of Health (DOH), which said that a total of 69,739 children aged zero to 59 months were vaccinated during the second round of the OPV drive.

Based on DOH data dated December 8, such is 140.54 percent of the city’s target population, which is 49, 623 children.

“A total of 1,404,517 children received the OPV in Metro Manila or 109.99 percent of its target population of 1, 276, 984,” the report stated.

Mayor Abigail “Abby” Binay thanked residents for fully cooperating to the anti-polio campaign.

“This achievement shows that Makatizens have extended their full cooperation to the city government by having their kids vaccinated. The city is fully committed to keeping our kids safe and healthy,” the mayor said in a statement.

Binay said doctors and Makati Health Department (MHD) staff have been conducting house visits since October 14 to provide OPV to children who are vulnerable to polio.

Binay also called on parents to have their children immunized with the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, Pentavalent vaccine, PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine), Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) vaccine, MR (Measles and Rubella) vaccine, and MMR (Measles, Mumps and, Rubella) vaccine.

She said that the city’s 26 health centers have been providing these vaccines to infants and children aged 0 to 59 months for free.

Dr. Bernard Sese, MHD chief, said the newborns must receive BCG and Hepatitis B vaccine to avoid diseases such as Hepatitis B and to prevent complications of tuberculosis such as extrapulmonary TB.

According to him, babies between six and 14 weeks old must be inoculated with Pentavalent vaccine, PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine), Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) vaccine, and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to protect them from diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, influenza B, pneumonia, and polio.

Meantime, babies who are nine months old must be vaccinated with MR vaccine to protect them against measles and MMR vaccine to protect them against mumps.