News Release

Church Joins Measles Mass Immunization Program

Good health for the children of the world is a priority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In 2007 and 2011, LDS Charities (LDSC), the social arm of the Church, provided a donation to the Department of Health (DoH) for the purchase of Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine in support of their Measles Immunization Program conducted regularly every 3-4 years.

Despite continued efforts, measles outbreaks were encountered in many parts of the country in 2013 and early 2014.  This indicated that there was still a widespread transmission of the virus.

To eliminate measles and rubella transmission, the Department of Health (DoH) decided to conduct a national measles, rubella and oral polio vaccine mass immunization (MR OPV MI) set for September 2014.  Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) has been added to the mass immunization to provide further protection against the possibility of importation of polio from other countries.

The DoH reached out to partner organizations to help address logistical needs. They also called for volunteers who can help in information dissemination and the Rapid Coverage Assessment (RCA).

LDSC, in response and support for the project, turned over 65,000 markers and 20,000 vaccine carriers to DoH on August 18.

Mormon Helping Hands volunteers will also join in information dissemination efforts and as monitors in the RCA.  A number of chapels all over the country will also be used as vaccination posts.

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 Left to right:Dr. Tayag, Usec. Garin, Asec. Ubial, Benson Misalucha, Sec. Ona, Usec. Herbosa and Asec. Punzalan.

During the turnover ceremony, DoH Secretary Ona expressed appreciation to the World Health Organization (WHO), Unicef and LDS Charities for their support of the Measles Immunization Program and concern for Filipino children.

Undersecretary Janet Garin emphasized the need for parents to bring their children to be immunized.  “Please make sure you bring your children ages 5 below to the nearest Health Center or vaccination post for free measles vaccination,” she campaigned.

Measles vaccination is one of six ongoing global projects sponsored by Church Humanitarian Services to help people become more self-reliant. The other 5 initiatives include neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair training and distribution, food production and vision treatment.

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Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Charities is an application of the admonition of Jesus Christ to help others in need. Jesus Christ taught His followers to give meat to the hungry and drink to those who thirst. His is a gospel that includes taking in the stranger, loving neighbors as self, and visiting those who are sick or imprisoned. He taught that we are to love and care for each other, visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and lift up those whose hands hang down and whose knees are feeble.

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