February 23, 2010

COTABATO CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) declared today that measles cases in Lanao del Sur, particularly in the coastal town of Balabagan have been fully contained after experiencing earlier a reported outbreak.

DOH-ARMM Secretary Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr. bared the good news through a report he submitted to acting Regional governor Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong, who earlier directed him to validate earlier published report on the inclusion of measles outbreak in Balabagan, Lanao del Sur.

“Please everything possible to address the reported outbreak,” Adiong was quoted as telling Dr. Sinolinding Jr. in an earlier call over the phone.

According to Sinolinding, he immediately sent health workers to investigate the report and conduct immunization against measles especially on children to avoid epidemic.

Sinolinding said seven adults and a one-year old child have been recorded in Balabagan town, Lanao del Sur. “But no fatalities were posted as we closely monitored and validated reports on the disease,” the health secretary added.

The case was recorded on January 27, 2010, according to published reports.

Earlier, according to Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, the DOH has posted recorded a total of 609 measles cases.

She disclosed that this year, the number of measles cases recorded from January 1 to February 13 is 70 percent higher than the same period of last year.

Measles is an airborne disease and is contagious, Sinolinding said, prodding the public especially the parents to have their infant children immunized free in designated health clinics and health providers in the region.

Cabral in an interview said that “measles is a highly contagious viral disease and can also be aggravated due to overcrowding and congestion”.

But Sinolinding said there are no reports of measles outbreak in evacuation camps in Maguindanao where there are still Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying since August 2008 due to armed conflicts.

He said the Integrated Provincial Health Office in Maguindnao headed by Dr. Tahir Sulaik is doing well in delivering health services in the province.

“Our support package to our people in Maguindanao especially for the IDPs include comprehensive health coverage and management,” he stressed.

In 2004, the Health department launched the Ligtas Tigdas Campaign wherein no measles cases were reported from June 2004 to December 2006.

The campaign aimed to vaccinate 18 million children between 9 months and 8 years old using a door-to-door strategy nationwide which decreased measles cases in the country by 96 percent and death from measles by 99 percent.

Prior to Ligtas Tigdas campaign, an estimated 6,000 Filipino children majority coming from the poor households who has least access to public health died from measles.

“DOH-ARMM will continue to deliver the basic health services due our people in the region as concrete manifestation of the seriousness of regional governor Adiong to address the health requirement of his people,” Sinolinding said.

DOH-ARMM said symptoms of measles include fever, general weakness and occasionally red eyes. But these symptoms usually come before skin rash confirming the onset of the disease. It is transmitted through droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected person. (johenry/agm/BPI-ARMM)