By Analou De Vera

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said that they will coordinate with the different homeowners association to ensure that all children will be given anti-polio vaccine.

Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo said that they are experiencing difficulties in reaching the children who reside in “gated communities and subdivisions.”

“So far, what we are seeing is that the gated communities and subdivisions are difficult to penetrate. We cannot enter them and usually, they don’t go to our health centers either,” he said.

“We are coordinating with the homeowners association for them to set up ‘patak’ centers in their subdivisions or to, at least, have their children checked if their private physicians have already given them vaccines,” he added.

To note, the DOH started last October 14, Monday, its synchronized polio vaccination campaign in National Capital Region, Lanao Del Sur, Marawi City, Davao City, and Davao Del Sur. It will be expanded to all areas in Mindanao on November 25.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a joint statement urging parents to let their children be given the anti-polio vaccine.

“The polio outbreak is a wakeup call for the Philippines. We must act now to protect children against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization,” said acting WHO Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe.

“We need bayanihan (community-spirit) from everyone–the parents and caregivers, mayors, governors, community and religious leaders, health workers, volunteers, and media partners,” he added.