In addition to its wide-scale measles vaccination efforts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Dick Gordon directed the intensification of community-wide vaccination education in Mindanao.
“Parents’ hesitancy towards childhood immunization is a health threat to our communities and one of the factors that prevent Filipino children from living healthy and happy,” Gordon said.
“We are doing what we can to not only deliver information but to also ensure that communities understand vaccines and its crucial importance.”
“We have to fight this threat through information dissemination and vaccine education. We are doing what we can to not only deliver information but to also ensure that communities understand vaccines and its crucial importance,” he stressed.
PRC RC143 volunteers in Mindanao have been going around in geographically-isolated areas with megaphones to disseminate information and distribute more IEC materials for spreading awareness about vaccines and routine immunization.
They are also conducting health promotions to parents.
Moreover, Gordon emphasized the vaccination capacity of the PRC as a significant support to the government.
From April 1 to 16, the PRC, through vaccinators and volunteers, vaccinated over 15,651 children aged 6 months to 10 years old in Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Basilan.
As of April 15, the PRC has reached 83 communities.
