Eastern visayas: A total of 279,973 children in Eastern Visayas have been vaccinated against measles and rubella, achieving a significant coverage rate of 96.5 percent during a month-long campaign, as reported by the Department of Health (DOH) regional office.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DOH field office released a report on Monday stating that the high vaccination rate was accomplished during the measles-rubella supplemental immunization activity (MR-SIA), which took place across the region's six provinces and one highly urbanized city from August 10 to September 4 this year. The DOH highlighted that each percentage point reflects ongoing efforts to make vaccination accessible to every child in the community.

The breakdown of the vaccinated children includes 109,221 from Leyte province, 60,099 from Samar, 35,613 from Eastern Samar, 33,459 from Northern Samar, 13,273 from Tacloban City, 11,536 from Southern Leyte, 9,190 from Biliran, and 7,582 from Ormoc City. The campaign targeted children aged 6 to 59 months, providing them with not only the measles-rubella vaccine but also Vitamin A supplementation, irrespective of their previous immunization status.

The 279,973 vaccinated children represent 96.5 percent of the 290,122 actual target population in the region, as noted by the DOH. The department expressed gratitude for the support from local government units that contributed to the campaign's success.

The DOH also emphasized the long-standing use of measles-rubella vaccines, which have been protecting communities for over five decades against these highly contagious diseases and their potentially serious complications. The department assured that free vaccination services would continue in rural health centers and government hospitals to further safeguard children's health in the region.