THE DEPARTMENT of Health- Davao called on mothers to get their children vaccinated in the month-long measles-rubella supplemental immunization activity (MR-SIA), a regionwide rollout from Jan. 19 until Feb. 16.
Mothers who have children aged 6-59 months are advised to visit designated vaccination posts in their area.
Dr. Grace Amistoso, DOH Davao Center for Health Development assistant regional director, said this stage is critical for the children to prevent contracting the contagious disease.
“Measles and rubella remain serious public health threats, especially for children. Through the MR-SIA, the DOH, together with our LGUs and partners, aims to protect every eligible child by closing immunity gaps and preventing outbreaks in our communities,” Amistoso said.
“Bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga bata na maabot ang kanilang full potential. Protektahan natin ang ating mga anak at ang kanilang kinabukasan,” she added.
According to DOH data, cases of measles and rubella in the country have risen to 5,123 from 2025, representing a 32% increase from the 3,880 cases in 2024.
Most of the reported cases involved children below 5 years old, with 6 months old as the youngest.
According to the World Health Organization, measles and rubella are highly contagious, serious airborne diseases caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death. The agency stressed there is no cure for rubella, hence the need for vaccination.
As part of routine immunization, children aged 9 months to 1 year are provided with 2 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first dose is given at 9 months old, and the second dose is given at 1 year old.
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