Solon wants localized state of emergency declared vs. polio

FILE:
FULL-COURT PRESS MAPPED OUT AGAINST POLIO. “The State has the obligation to protect its citizens from diseases preventable with vaccines. Not getting vaccinated must not be an option. Refusal to get vaccinated means either certain death or grave illness,” said Rotary District 3780 Governor and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera shortly after launching the Health Department-Rotary International anti-polio campaign. (Photo: BH Bernadette Herrera-Dy/Facebook)

MANILA — A leader of the House of Representatives on Monday pushed for a declaration of a localized state of health emergency amid a growing public health threat of polio, especially in poverty-stricken and polio-hit areas of Mindanao.

In a statement, House Deputy Majority Leader, Rep. Bernadette Herrera also called for a more aggressive response to the contagious viral illness after Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed that there are two more suspected cases of polio in Mindanao.

This is in addition to the three new confirmed polio cases and the first confirmed case in Datu Piang, Maguindanao.

“There are now at least four children with polio in Mindanao making us inclined to believe that the current measures may not be enough,” Herrera said.

“Given the seriousness of the growing polio threat to public health, more aggressive and pro-active steps, including a possible ‘localized state of health emergency’ may be in order, which the DOH Secretary has the power to do under our administrative and public health laws,” she added.

The DOH is scheduled to conduct a polio vaccination campaign from Nov. 25 to Dec. 7 in Mindanao, as well as in Metro Manila.

DOH aims to vaccinate about 3 million children five years old and below in the second round of the Mindanao-wide massive polio vaccination.

For the first round of the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” on Oct. 14-27, the DOH reported about 96 percent coverage of children 0-59 months old.

The first round was done only in identified areas such as Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Davao del Sur, and Davao City.