90,110 Eastern Visayas children get measles-rubella shots

Posted on August 21, 2026 at 10:57 am

Palo, Leyte — Some 90,110 children in Eastern Visayas received measles-rubella vaccines during the first week of the Department of Health’s (DOH) vaccination campaign.

The figure represents 31.06 percent of the 445,961 children the DOH hopes to vaccinate in the region from August 10 to 28.

The vaccination campaign is for children aged 6 to 59 months. Vitamin A is also being given during the activity.

Eastern Samar had the highest vaccination rate in the first week at 44.27 percent. Tacloban City followed with 36.30 percent.

Biliran recorded 32.09 percent, Northern Samar 31.83 percent, and Leyte 31.65 percent.

Southern Leyte reached 27.46 percent, while Ormoc City and Samar recorded 25.42 percent and 23.01 percent, respectively.

The DOH said the first-week results came from vaccination activities conducted in communities across the region from August 10 to 14.

Health workers are continuing to visit communities as the campaign runs until August 28.

The DOH reminded parents and other caregivers to get information about the vaccination program from health workers and other trusted sources, especially as false information about vaccines continues to circulate online.

The agency said measles-rubella vaccines have been used for more than 50 years and remain an important way of protecting children from the two highly contagious diseases and their complications.

With the first week completed, more than 350,000 children still need to be reached to meet the region’s target of 445,961.

Photo courtesy: DOH Eastern Visayas

Photo caption: A child receives a measles-rubella vaccine during the Department of Health’s vaccination campaign in Eastern Visayas. The campaign aims to reach 445,961 children aged 6 to 59 months across the region.