File photo of vaccination. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Department of Health in Mimaropa has vaccinated 137,245 children against measles and rubella, representing 43.96 percent of the region’s target population as of 7 a.m. on Aug. 24.
The DOH Mimaropa tracker shows that 312,191 children have been targeted for the Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA), that is being conducted across Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan and Puerto Princesa City.
The latest figure marks an increase from the 109,371 children, or 35.03 percent coverage, reported as of Aug. 19.
Occidental Mindoro recorded the highest vaccination coverage among the provinces, with 29,158 of its 54,894 target children vaccinated, or 53.12 percent.
It was followed by Romblon, with 12,316 of 25,881 children vaccinated, or 47.59 percent; Palawan, 43,571 of 97,125, or 44.86 percent; Marinduque, 9,180 of 21,841, or 42.03 percent; and Oriental Mindoro, 34,289 of 86,196, or 39.78 percent.
Puerto Princesa City had the lowest coverage at 33.26 percent, with 8,731 of its 26,254 target children vaccinated.
The DOH also reported that 108,960 children had received Vitamin A supplementation, equivalent to 34.90 percent of the region’s target.
The “Ligtas Tigdas 2026” campaign is being implemented from Aug. 10 to 28 and provides supplemental measles-rubella vaccination to eligible children aged 6 to 59 months, regardless of their previous vaccination status.
The campaign also includes Vitamin A supplementation.
The DOH has been urging parents and guardians to bring eligible children to vaccination sites to help close immunization gaps and strengthen community protection against measles and rubella.
The agency is targeting at least 95 percent vaccination coverage to help prevent outbreaks and protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.