The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is all set for the second round of the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” on November 25- December 07, 2019, in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Mindanao.

PRC goal is to give Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to 50, 000 children ages 0-5 years old. Immunizations will be administered by teams of PRC trained staff and volunteers. Each team consists of the Leader, the Vaccinator, the Recorder, and the Health Educator/ Hygiene Promoter.

“PRC staff and volunteers are working intensely to achieve a polio-free Philippines. PRC is going extra mile in giving vaccines to kids 0-5 years old. We conduct house to house visits to ensure that every child will be given OPV and be protected from Polio virus, “said Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon.

Trained PRC staff and volunteers administered massive oral polio immunization to 62,843 children from the PRC’s original target of 30,000 during the first round of immunization on October 14- October 27 across 27 cities and municipalities.

PRC conducted a multi-sectoral planning on November 15 and 20 in Mindanao and NCR, in preparation for the second wave of mass polio vaccination attended by Dr. Susan Mercado and Mr. Patrick Elliott of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF’s Drs. Amador Catacutan and Farkhad Imabhakiev, World Health Organization’s (WHO) Dr. Bezu Magullo, and Dr. Julius Velasquez of Department of Health (DOH).

“With the continuous efforts from PRC, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH), soon we will be Polio-free country again”, added Gordon.