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01:14Good afternoon. Welcome to Beyond the Headlines. I'm DJ Moises and today's conversation is brought to us by Coffee First.
01:22Missiles and rubella are diseases many people think belong to the past.
01:27Yet today, health authorities are once again urging parents to have their children vaccinated through the Missiles rubella supplemental immunization
01:36activity.
01:36Why is another campaign necessary? And what should parents know to make informed decisions for their families?
01:44Today, let's look deeper and think better.
01:47Joining us is Medical Officer 3 Regional National Immunization Program or NIP Medical Coordinator from the Department of Health, Dr.
01:56Faith Kuraraton.
01:57Hello, Dr. Faith. Welcome to Beyond the Headlines.
02:00Good afternoon and thank you for giving us the opportunity to be here.
02:04Yes. So, for the sake of our viewers, because they will see the initials MR-SIA, that actually means Missiles
02:14rubella supplemental immunization activity.
02:17Yes, that's correct. So, it's more on just a supplement to give to the kids or booster if, let's say,
02:27it's that. It's more on the booster to boost your immune system of your children.
02:33So, if parents are watching, Doc, and then they would be asking, like, didn't they already have the vaccines before
02:42or the program was already administered before? So, why the need for a boost this time?
02:48Why do we need to do the boosting again? The MR or Missiles rubella has been given to us since
02:579 months and 12 months of age.
03:00But, not all children were given. Meaning, not all the families opted to get that vaccine. So, we are afraid
03:14that these children might be the ones to cause an outbreak or cause the measles infection and it can spread
03:24wildly among other children.
03:27So, in order for that not to spread that much, we need to immunize again these children. But, actually, it's
03:35the same vaccine.
03:38So, Karen, what I have here, the numbers that I have, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but
03:44the Philippines currently is struggling to reach the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
03:53So, why are we still relying on supplemental rather than addressing the gap?
04:01Okay. We are still relying on that because, again, you have said we haven't reached the 95%. Why 95%?
04:10Okay. Let's just put 10 people or 10 children in a classroom. All those 10 children are healthy, young, but
04:21one of them has measles. Now, on that next day, once that person has the measles, 80% will have
04:31the children.
04:32I mean, 80% of that class will have measles. And the very next day, 95% because of just
04:40one. And then the very next day, 95% to 100% will have measles. Meaning, most of your kids
04:47will be absent.
04:48So, that's why we are trying to reach the goal of 95%. So, it's not just the numbers that we
04:57are trying to reach, but it's more on having more children to be vaccinated.
05:03If you don't mind, Doc, where are we currently?
05:07We are so at the low point right now. So, meaning, we are afraid.
05:15Like, how many percentage lang?
05:18Partially, it's more on the 20%.
05:22Now, I understand the urgency.
05:24So, we really need to, you know, that's just Central Visayas.
05:28So, that's just the partial numbers that we got.
05:32It's not like the full because we really need to get the full detail of it.
05:38So, since the data that we can gather is really that slow, that's why it's still partial.
05:47So, it's still at the 20% and we are afraid that we might have an impending, meaning, an upcoming
05:56outbreak.
05:57Or we are vulnerable.
05:58Yes, we might be vulnerable for an outbreak or a measles infection.
06:03And the complications of this might be so debilitating to those kids who haven't had any kind of vaccination at
06:14all.
06:14So, what do you think are the challenges, man, Doc?
06:18Why immunization level is not reaching enough children?
06:26There's so many challenges.
06:28It could be the leadership and governance.
06:32Or it could be the mothers who are not well informed about these kinds of diseases, which is really preventable
06:43by the vaccines.
06:44And mind you, they still keep on saying these vaccines might be the cause of the child's demise.
06:52I heard about that.
06:53Or, but it's actually, no.
06:56It's actually not true because these children really need the vaccination itself.
07:02It's not the, it's the other way around.
07:04It's the one protecting the kids rather than causing the diseases itself.
07:10And just to correct certain perception also from parents.
07:14So, you've already cited one of them.
07:16Some parents would think that it's the vaccine that's causing, no?
07:21The, the, the causing harm on the child, no?
07:24Instead of, kind of, preventing the harm.
07:27What are the other means, man, that you are hearing which we need to correct?
07:34Um, other...
07:35Aside from, it's the vaccine causing the harm.
07:39The harm.
07:39Rather than preventing it.
07:41Um, other is the, the side effects of it.
07:45So, they say once they got the shot, they might have the fever or they might have the measles.
07:51We still don't, we, we cannot be assured what the adverse effect will be.
07:57Okay?
07:57It's not a hundred percent sure that a child will not react.
08:01It would always depend from person to person, child to child.
08:05Nobody has the same adverse effect.
08:09So, one might have the rashes, one might have the fever, or one might have none at all.
08:16But mostly, none of all will have an adverse effect.
08:20Hmm, so what you're saying is the majority, it's like nothing happens.
08:24Nothing happens.
08:25But for some, it could be fever, it could be rashes, but these are normal.
08:30Yes.
08:31Okay.
08:31Now, just in case, sige, in that context na lang.
08:34For parents that they brought their child to, to immunization, and then they see rashes, what would be the most
08:43rational reaction a parent should do?
08:46Like, bring back the, the child for check?
08:49Or that's just, oh, that's normal?
08:51So, if the child, prior to the immunization activity, if the child already has the rashes, then, of course, they
09:00need to check.
09:01But if the child will have rashes or fever after the vaccine given, then they need to be checked again.
09:12So, they need to go to their nearest LGU or health center or RHU.
09:21So, that's the best way because sometimes when we do the injection, it's in the morning, and then the rashes
09:30or the fever might come in the late night.
09:33So, might as well, in the morning, immediately go straight or to your nearest emergency room.
09:40So, what we're saying, Doc, just, just for me to, can I clarify it, is most children, no effect.
09:48No effect.
09:49But for those with,
09:50I mean, not no effect, no adverse effect.
09:52No adverse effect.
09:54And then for, for some, that's when they would experience fever and rashes.
09:59And so, parents should not also just neglect it.
10:03Yes.
10:03But they also need to, to bring their children back, no?
10:07Yes.
10:07And have them checked.
10:08If they have, if they are feeling, if the child is feeling sick after the immunization, then they should bring
10:17back the child.
10:18Because it might not be related to the vaccine itself.
10:24Or, it might be related to the vaccine.
10:27So, we still need to investigate if there is any relationship with the vaccine.
10:32Now, aside from programs such as this one, Doc, what are also the, the steps that DOH is taking to
10:41correct misconceptions such as what you mentioned?
10:44One of those steps is like, right now, what we're doing, our information drive is really up to the peak
10:53right now.
10:54Because we are going to have the MRC, as what we call, and I hope the parents will be really
11:04well-informed right now.
11:06And I hope these parents who are well-informed will have their children vaccinated.
11:12But the other steps is, of course, we're also having coordination meetings with a lot of our stakeholders so that
11:20we could not miss out a single child.
11:23So, assuming, Doc, that, for example, I'm a parent, although I am not, but just in case I'm a parent,
11:29and my child is already part of the 20%, meaning they've already been immunized, do I still need to bring
11:35my child to DOH or the LGU?
11:39Yes, of course. You still need. That's why it's known as supplemental immunization activity.
11:50So, what we're having, our guidelines right now is from six months to 59 months before a child would reach
12:03at the age of five.
12:05So, that's the best way we can protect these children if there are measles infection,
12:13especially around the environment right now.
12:16So, now, again, if ever I'm a parent and then my child is part of the 80%, meaning I have
12:22not immunized my child.
12:26So, can the supplementary, can I go directly to this or do I have to pass through the regular immunization
12:34or can I get the boost or can my child get the boost already?
12:37Okay. It would depend upon the age.
12:40So, if you're between, again, six to 59, you can directly get the booster.
12:48But our regular or routine immunization is from nine months and 12 months.
12:54So, meaning at nine months old of the child and 12 months old of a child, they should have the
13:00measles rubella vaccine.
13:04First.
13:04MMR, measles mumps rubella vaccine.
13:07First.
13:08First two doses, nine months and 12 months.
13:11And then, you can already give the booster.
13:15But what we have right now is we need to give them, even without the first two doses, we need
13:24to give them the MR vaccine.
13:26It's still the blood.
13:27So, again, in my case, Nasad, if I were, for example, a parent and then I'm not necessarily, I don't
13:36have the usual access to information, how would you normally explain it to me?
13:42Ah.
13:43So, how a vaccine actually works.
13:47Now, that's hard.
13:49Okay.
13:49Because how vaccines work.
13:53And why should my child have it?
13:55It's really like a broad on how it would work.
13:59But basically, the children, 80%, the children in your schools, the example, Kanina, that was a really good example.
14:12The practical one.
14:12Yeah, the practical one that we can always give to those mothers that are questioning why do they need the
14:20vaccines or how does it work.
14:22It's basically that how it works.
14:25So, with respect to Katupong Kanang, at least that's the current estimated data now, which is 20%.
14:33How much of it also is hesitancy of parents and how much of it is really location?
14:41Okay.
14:42For the hesitancy, we don't have that kind of data of how much.
14:48But your gut, are they more because parents are hesitant or is it really because they're too late?
14:54It's actually parents are hesitant.
14:57I'm all good.
14:58Because if you're going to say because of accessibility, no.
15:03Because we need to have a temporary fixed post as to where they're the nearest of the children are.
15:11So, that's where they need to go.
15:13And it's somewhat like the healthcare workers are already going down to that level up to the point that we
15:25want to meet halfway with the parents.
15:29So, it's more basically on them hesitant in going to us.
15:34Okay.
15:35So, we're not seeing access as the main problem.
15:39It's hesitancy of the parents.
15:40It's hesitancy of the parents because, again, of the misconceptions or the misinformations they have.
15:47So, now let's talk about, because you mentioned governance is also part of that.
15:53It's also a factor, no.
15:55Maybe this is a good time also for, what are the best practices that you have observed on certain LGUs
16:02that they don't struggle as much as the others in terms of immunization coverage?
16:09There are other LGUs who really, really support the health, meaning some of them gave support such as, even for
16:17the transportation of these healthcare workers.
16:22Because those vaccine that we place in a very small career that we have, a pre-qualified career, those vaccines,
16:34the measles rubella vaccine is so sensitive to heat.
16:37So, that's why we cannot do house to house because of that sensitivity of the vaccine.
16:46Now, if we're going to do house to house, there might be a high cases of adverse effect of immunization.
16:54So, that's one of the things that they're looking at.
16:57So, we're trying to have a fixed post.
17:00So, it's up to now to the parents who would go.
17:03So, those are the best supports that the other LGUs are giving to us.
17:10And I commend them for that.
17:13Maybe you'd like to commend them.
17:16Okay.
17:17It's actually…
17:18We'll leave it at that.
17:19Yeah, we'll leave it at that because there are so plenty of them I cannot mention on.
17:24So, at least it's comforting to know that there are more LGUs who are really supporting this by at least
17:31transporting the parents and their child to where the availability of immunization is.
17:38Yeah, because I have tried once in like about 2024, 2023 during the MRC again.
17:50I've tried that we have walked a very long pathway because the transportation was only up to this certain area.
17:59And you know the point that you cannot point to where the house is but only your mouse is there.
18:10I can't imagine.
18:11That's how far we have been trying to reach the families up to the point where we will be the
18:18one to go near to them.
18:22There's one ad.
18:23I don't know if it's the DOH that spearheaded the ad.
18:28But when I was a baby, when I was a kid, I saw an ad that actually would end with
18:38this tagline or line,
18:40Maraming namamatay sa maling akala.
18:44So, now, with respect to measles, for example, what are also, how would you explain to parents who will just
18:51dismiss it?
18:52The other one is katong overprotective of their child.
18:55But there are also parents na kanang kampante lang na, oh, that's just measles.
18:58The child will outgrow this anyway.
19:00It's just a face.
19:01What would you tell them?
19:03We shouldn't be complacent.
19:05Even for those overprotective parents, we shouldn't be complacent or meaning we shouldn't be...
19:12Like saying it's just a face.
19:14Yeah, it's just a face.
19:15Pangbata na siya.
19:16They would outgrow it.
19:17It's better na matakdan rather than mabaksinan.
19:21Oh, yeah. That's another myth.
19:23That's another myth.
19:24Okay.
19:24It's better to have the vaccine itself.
19:28Why?
19:29Because we are taking care of the future of our child.
19:33Because the complications that a child might have during the measles is debilitating enough.
19:41And we are afraid that they might have those complications such as encephalitis or up to the point of having
19:51death.
19:52So that's why we do not want DOH wants to have the MRC in order for us to cut these
20:03things and be informed.
20:07And by the way, thank you for raising that.
20:09Because that's a common myth that I would also hear.
20:12Mas may pag matakdan nga bata pa para ma-immune siya.
20:15Para ma-immune siya.
20:17We grew up with that.
20:19I've heard about that.
20:20And then the other thing is, katong bata po nga nagka-measles na, it's even still good for them to
20:26still get the immunization.
20:27Just to correct that perception.
20:29As long as they are healthy, they do not have the measles right now.
20:36So, pwede ragyod that they can have the measles vaccine.
20:42Now, this one is, kagadina, I was addressing more governance on an LGU level.
20:47Now, if we are to zoom out, and I don't want to put you on the spot, but are there
20:53countries also in which they already have zero cases and they already have good coverage?
21:01Okay, anyway, the president is going to have his own.
21:04Basing, masingit pali ang imungko.
21:06President, i-appeal ni.
21:09And then it's still 12.30, so nag-make-up sa naminaw sa naminaw sa naminaw.
21:15I mean, it has been part of the president's sauna for, I think, from the previous sauna.
21:23So, because of, we have really a low coverage of the, what we call the FIC or fully immunized child.
21:30Or those that have the, until the measles, mumps, rubella, na vaccine, routine vaccine.
21:38So, since we have that low coverage.
21:40But, in the other countries, I don't think, I'm not sure.
21:46I don't want to be quote-unquote if there are countries na nag-zero cases sila.
21:52Because, for example, Filipinos will go to another area, country.
21:57And they have not been immunized.
22:00And they have not been immunized.
22:01Then we are bringing the infection to the other countries also.
22:05But there are still other countries that also has a low coverage, the same as us.
22:12So, it's commonly here in the Southeast Asia area.
22:17So, we do not want the spread to be more.
22:21And, of course, the Philippines is a tourist area, bringing children with them, families.
22:29And it is a hub.
22:32Yes.
22:32That's why there is an infighting in the West Philippine Sea.
22:35Just kidding.
22:38So, the more it's urgent.
22:39So, that's why we need not just us to be protected.
22:45But, actually, even foreigners should also be protected.
22:49So, if because if they're going to have a vacation here, we have to make sure they're having a good
22:56time rather than being admitted at the hospital.
23:00And then, now we're zooming out, so that means we're already towards the end of the conversation.
23:06So, now, we're going to go to the Philippines, but this time, are there any immunization for certain diseases also,
23:17aside from measles and rubella?
23:19Which you need to tell our parents also, aside from measles and rubella?
23:26Yeah, we have BCG.
23:30We will start at the BCG.
23:32BCG is for the primary tuberculosis for children.
23:37Hina po ng parents.
23:38Yes, naiuban hina.
23:39But we need to give it during, within the 24 hours period of after birth.
23:46So, BCG and HEPB, dapat automatic siya.
23:49But parental consent, manggot yapo na?
23:51Yes.
23:51Na magyapon guwi mo consent.
23:53Nasa iuban lili mo consent.
23:55So, I hope they will, Carol.
23:56So, another one is Hepatitis B.
23:59Okay.
24:00Why B?
24:00Because we are afraid that they might go into the liver cirrhosis.
24:04Okay.
24:05And then, we have at one month and a half.
24:10So, we need to give the Penta and the oral polio vaccine.
24:16Then, we also have the IPV and the PCV.
24:19There are so many vaccines.
24:21And then, up to the point now, we're going to give the MMR vaccines at 9 and 12 months.
24:29And you've mentioned actually polio, no?
24:32Okay.
24:33I'm with Rotary.
24:34And our drive is zero incidence of polio.
24:38So, actually, now, it's also an education for me, ba?
24:43If I am a parent, and then I'm…
24:46So, one of the responsible things that I need to do is to make sure that the essential immunization for
24:54the baby, no?
24:56The routine.
24:56Should be there.
24:57The routine.
24:57Should be there.
24:58Should be there.
24:58That's why we wanted to strengthen it more, the routine immunization.
25:03But, however, again, the hesitancy is still present.
25:08Mm-hmm.
25:09So, now, with respect to…
25:11Because you mentioned that your DOH is also strengthening information drives.
25:16Now, how can schools also help in this area?
25:18For the schools, the daycare, we are trying to reach out with our DSWD counterparts, and we already have our
25:29stakeholders meeting.
25:31And they're also very supportive, and we're trying now to…
25:37The LGUs will try to go to their daycare centers.
25:42Now, in the other side, if we're going to have at the school level, elementary, we also have what we
25:50call the school-based immunization.
25:52And that would be the next one after MRC, yeah.
25:57So, if there's any message that you wish to communicate to parents, to the president, and to anyone who's watching
26:07us today, what would that be, though?
26:09So, I hope the parents would be more well-informed.
26:14Mahirap…
26:15You're in the previous time, maraming namamatay sa maling akala.
26:20Or, for me, what I did previously, be a good chismosa.
26:27Because you need to be well-informed.
26:31Do not just, you know, think na it can harm your child or children.
26:36It can always help out your children and their future.
26:42So, you have to secure it to them.
26:44So, thank you very much, Dr. Faith, for joining us.
26:47And you have anybody to give your shout-out before I let you go?
26:52I need to give a shout-out all to my FHS family.
26:57Hi and hello to them.
26:58That's all.
26:59And to the ones who are with me right now, Ms. Maricar and Ms. Viana.
27:06And we're truly grateful to have you here on the show so that we would be able to educate, hopefully.
27:14Yeah, hopefully.
27:15Better educate our viewers regarding measles, rubella, supplemental immunization activity, and other essential vaccines that our babies should have.
27:25Last one, last.
27:27If they have questions, and if they need an answer, they can go to their nearest RHU or PCF or
27:38primary care facility or any health worker that they can find.
27:44And thank you once again.
27:46Thank you also for giving me a chance to be here.
27:50And thank you also for saying a portion of my closing script.
27:56But anyhow, so to our viewers, reliable information can save lives.
28:02So I'm DJ Moisa's headlines tell us what happened.
28:06Understanding tells us why it matters.
28:09So let's look deeper and think better.
28:12So this is Beyond the Headlines.
28:15Have a good afternoon.
28:16Okay.
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