The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) will be requesting a P100,000 budget for a “massive measles immunization” campaign from the Negros Occidental Provincial Board.

According to PHO head, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, there has been a “significant increase of measles cases in the province,” with records showing 103 reported cases last year, an increase from the three recorded in 2017.

Most of the measles cases recorded last year were in Himamaylan City, Sagay City, Calatrava, Murcia, and San Carlos City.

With the Department of Health declaring a measles outbreak in the Western Visayas, Tumimbang said the provincial board will call an emergency meeting this week in order to present the funding request.

Last week, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. led a meeting of the Provincial Health Board, where they passed a resolution calling on local government units in the province to conduct massive health drives.

“We are doing everything to address the situation,” the PHO official affirmed. “We have enough supplies of vaccines for immunization; it’s a matter of looking for these children.”/DGB, WDJ