The Department of Health (DOH) has announced significant progress in its Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) across Mindanao, with millions of young children now protected against these dangerous diseases.
Massive Vaccination Effort Yields Strong Results
According to official data released by the DOH, a total of 2,299,034 children aged six to 59 months have received vaccines through the MR-SIA campaign between January 19 and February 15, 2026. This represents a substantial public health achievement in protecting vulnerable populations against measles and rubella.
Regional Breakdown of Vaccinated Children
The vaccination drive has seen varying levels of success across different regions of Mindanao:
- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): 511,321 vaccinated children
- Zamboanga Peninsula: 447,186 vaccinated children
- Northern Mindanao: 437,876 vaccinated children
- Soccsksargen: 343,677 vaccinated children
- Davao Region: 328,185 vaccinated children
- Caraga: 230,789 vaccinated children
Remaining Vaccination Gap Identified
Despite the impressive numbers, health officials have identified that 559,075 children under five years old still require measles-rubella vaccination across Mindanao. The DOH has provided a detailed breakdown of the remaining unvaccinated population:
- Davao Region: 184,824 unvaccinated children
- Soccsksargen: 107,573 unvaccinated children
- Northern Mindanao: 85,743 unvaccinated children
- Zamboanga Peninsula: 76,520 unvaccinated children
- BARMM: 65,909 unvaccinated children
- Caraga: 38,506 unvaccinated children
Campaign Extension to Reach More Children
In response to the remaining vaccination needs, the Department of Health has officially extended the MR-SIA campaign in Mindanao until February 20, 2026. This extension provides additional time for health workers to reach children who have not yet received protection against measles and rubella.
The DOH emphasized the urgency of the situation in their public statement: "The DOH Ligtas Tigdas vaccination has been extended until February 20, 2026. So get your children vaccinated now." This call to action underscores the critical importance of complete immunization coverage to prevent outbreaks of these preventable diseases.
The comprehensive vaccination campaign represents one of the largest public health initiatives in Mindanao in recent years, with health officials working diligently to protect vulnerable children across all regions of the island.
