The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to immunize nearly 11 million children nationwide under its “Ligtas Tigdas” campaign.

The vaccination drive seeks to protect children from measles (tigdas) and rubella (tigdas-hangin), highly contagious diseases that can lead to serious complications, especially among children aged five years and below.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DOH said the Ligtas Tigdas program is a nationwide measles-rubella supplemental immunization activity, which will be conducted this January to further strengthen population immunity and prevent outbreaks.

Under the campaign, children aged six to 59 months, or up to five years old, will be vaccinated regardless of their previous vaccination status, in addition to the routine measles vaccination given to infants at nine and 12 months old.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa recently inspected the additional 1.3 million doses of measles-rubella (MR) vaccine that will be used for the Ligtas Tigdas vaccination drive, the DOH said, noting that vaccines and operational preparations are already in place.

The DOH targets to vaccinate about 5.6 million children in Luzon, 2.8 million in Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and 1.9 million in Visayas.

Phase 1 of the Ligtas Tigdas campaign will begin on Jan. 19 in Mindanao and BARMM, the agency said.

The DOH reiterated that measles and rubella can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, diarrhea, blindness, and even death, particularly among young children, stressing that vaccination remains the most effective protection against these diseases.

The agency urged parents and guardians to bring eligible children to the nearest health facilities and vaccination sites to ensure their protection and help prevent the resurgence of measles and rubella cases in the country. (PNA)