WHO Warning: Measles May Again Threaten to Kill 6,000 Kids Each Year in Philippines

MANILA — Measles outbreaks in the Philippines, which have plagued the country for almost a year, will continue to spread unless a greater number of children are vaccinated, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

“We will establish the Philippines as measles-free only if we ensure every village vaccinates at least 95% of its children,” said Dr Soe Nyunt-U, WHO Representative in the Philippines. “Failure to do so will result in the return of an estimated 6000 deaths a year of Filipino children from this preventable disease.”

The Department of Health of the Philippines, in collaboration with WHO and partner agencies, is currently undertaking a one-month anti-measles campaign nationwide. With two weeks left in the campaign, only 20% of the targeted 8.9 million children, aged 9 months to 3 years, have been vaccinated.

The Secretary of Health of the Philippines, Francisco Duque III, expressing concern at the slow progress in reaching eligible children, called for greater cooperation and more intense efforts to achieve the targets.

A WHO independent assessment found only one fifth of the villages whose vaccination activities were reportedly complete have reached at least 95% vaccination coverage. WHO concluded that eligible children are missed because vaccination teams are using the highly effective door-to-door strategy in only one in five villages.

Secretary Duque called on vaccination teams to search door-to-door to find and vaccinate every child. He urged all governors, mayors, health officers and staff to join him in the quest to make the Philippines free of measles.