In February, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has intensified its health education and information drive following the occurrence of measles outbreak in Maguindanao, Lanao Del Sur, Sulu, and Zamboanga City. PRC has directed its trained Red Cross 143 health volunteers and staff in the affected Chapters to monitor and validate suspected cases of measles in their respective communities.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a total of 213 suspected measles cases were recorded in ARMM in January 2018 alone due of low vaccine coverage in the past years. Four deaths were recorded in Maguindanao, and one each in Lanao del Sur, and Sulu. In addition, the DOH also reported 166 cases from Zamboanga City with one casualty. The Zamboanga City Chapter also assisted in providing vaccines to almost 1,110 children in Barangay Sangali, Talon-Talon, and Kasangyangan. Apart from these, the PRC also heightened health promotion and information dissemination to prevent the spread of the disease in the communities. Click here for more information.