By Perla Lena
ILOILO CITY – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) will soon declare a state of calamity following a pertussis outbreak.
Three cases each were recorded in Jaro and Molo districts and one in Arevalo as of Monday.
A state of calamity will pave the way for the utilization of over PHP16.6 million from the city government’s quick response fund, portions of which will be used to procure medicines and vaccines.
“A big portion will go to medicines and vaccines. If necessary, we will add funds so we can purchase more,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said in an interview on Monday.
With the outbreak declaration, the City Health Office will embark on active case findings, reporting of cases within 24 hours, and contact tracing; procurement of medicines post-exposure prophylaxis, post-exposure vaccination, booster vaccines, and antibiotics; and acquisition of commodities like swab kits, personal protective equipment and others.
Children from 0 to 59 months in the city’s initial three districts are eyed to be provided with vaccination.
City Health Office Assistant Department head Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna said children who are six weeks to 12 months old have must have complete primary series.
Booster doses will be given to 12 to 24-month-olds, followed by a third dose.
“Since we are on the outbreak, we have an outbreak response immunization, that is why we need additional vaccines,” he said, adding that the Department of Health has an allocation but with intended recipients.
He also encouraged those with children who missed their immunizations to visit the city health offices.
“The public should know that pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease. It’s good that we don’t have deaths and hopefully we can control this because pertussis has a high mortality when left untreated,” Fortuna added.
It is also recommended that children wear masks because they are considered high-risk. (PNA)
