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(NAR) VOL.8 NO. 3 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 1997
[ PROCLAMATION NO. 1065, August 26, 1997 ]
LAUNCHING THE NATIONWIDE MEASLES ELIMINATION CAMPAIGN ON SEPTEMBER 1997
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WHEREAS, affirming the commitment to give high priority to child survival, protection and development;
WHEREAS, reaffirming the commitment to the Universal Child Immunization goal and eradication or eventual elimination of diseases that continue to affect children;
WHEREAS, aware that measles is a highly transmissible disease, affecting all age groups but mostly infants and very young unimmunized children and that it also causes complications resulting in death, blindness and malnutrition;
WHEREAS, learning from the successes of the national mass immunization campaigns for poliovirus eradication;
WHEREAS, realizing that sustaining high basic routine immunization coverage of infants, while providing supplemental booster vaccinations during mass campaigns are effective measles reduction and elimination measures as demonstrated in other countries especially the Latin American nations;
WHEREAS, affirming that the Department of Health has the necessary resources for the nationwide measles reduction and control campaigns to meet the vaccination of infants and children ages 9 months to less than 15 years old.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the start of the Philippine Measles Elimination Campaign, "Iligtas si Baby sa Tigdas" on September 1997.
To achieve the goals of measles elimination:
1. The local government units should take the lead in implementing the local strategies for the campaign such as:
1.1 exert special effort to find and immunize every Filipino infant with the basic routine dose of measles vaccine at 9-12 months wherever he or she may be.
1.2 give supplemental "catch up" vaccination to all children aged 12 months to below 15 years old regardless of immunization status or reported history of measles infection. Anti-measles vaccine (AMV) immunization coverage should be 100% in each barangay. This will thus mean active masterlisting.
1.3 give periodic "follow up" mass measles immunizations according to the Department of Health (DOH) guidelines.
1.4 improve the surveillance system for measles cases consisting of:
* adoption of standard case definition for measles
* active and timely reporting of measles cases
* establishment of facilities for laboratory confirmation of measles
1.5 the local government unit shall closely coordinate with the DOH in the timely and effective investigation and control of measles outbreak
2. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), in collaboration with DOH, shall conduct measles vaccination in all primary and secondary schools both private and public.
3. The Department of Health (DOH) is hereby designated to act as the lead agency to coordinate and draft the necessary guidelines for the proper implementation of this project.
As lead agency, the DOH can tap the assistance of other government agencies, non-governmental and private sectors, local government units, civic and religious groups, international organizations and other concerned sectors whenever necessary.
This campaign and collaboration shall continue from hereon to ensure that measles remains under control until it is eventually eliminated or eradicated.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.
Adopted: 26 Aug. 1997
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<th width="50%" scope="row"><div align="left">(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS </div></th>
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<th scope="row"><div align="left">President of the Philippines</div></th>
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BY THE PRESIDENT:
(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary
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