The City Health Office (CHO) here, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), will launch a week-long massive anti-polio campaign.

In a statement, the CHO said the massive anti-polio campaign was brought about by the re-emergence of a poliovirus type 1 in Maluso, Basilan province.

It said the campaign, dubbed as “Sabayang Patak kontra Polio”, will kick-off on January 6 and will end on January 12.

Children aged 10 years and below, regardless of immunization status, will be vaccinated with the bivalent oral polio vaccine, it added.

The week-long activity will be simultaneously held in Basilan province, including Isabela City, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Sultan Kudarat.

The anti-polio campaign will be a combination of house-to-house, fixed post, and special vaccination sessions.

It is a rapid polio response immunization, which is a critical action to guarantee high population immunity among children under 10 years old and protects the population from the consequences of polio-virus re-circulation.

The CHO said it targets 205,507 children for the whole week with a daily target of 41,101 kids.

The local health office said fixed posts will be set up at the KCC Mall, Citimall, McDonald-San Jose outlet, Mindanao Central Sanitarium, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Labuan Public Hospital, Zampen Hospital, Zamboanga Doctor’s Hospital, West Metro Medical Center, Ciudad Medical Hospital, Airport, Port Area (seaport) and the Integrated Bus Terminal in Barangay Divisoria.

The second and third rounds will be from February 17 to March 2, and March 23 to April 4, respectively. (PNA)