By Charissa Luci-Atienza The Department of Health has been urged to intensify its immunization program nationwide following the reported measles outbreak in the country. Department of Health (Manila Bulletin) Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas made the call as the local governments of Davao and Zamboanga City declared measles outbreak. “The Department of Health is urged to coordinate with the local government health officials and civil society groups to intensify measles vaccination in the affected areas,” he said. He also asked the House Committee on Health to immediately conduct a probe on the country’s immunization program and reported measles outbreak in the country. On January 22, 2018, the local government of Davao declared a measles outbreak as more than 200 people showed signs they were suffering from the highly-contagious infection. The declaration of an outbreak was aimed at not only raising awareness, but also emphasizing the importance of performing immunization operations across the city for the reason that, out of 224 cases of measles, 119 patients were not vaccinated. Zamboanga City recorded 101 measles cases from January 1 to February 1, 2018, representing a 1,343-percent increase in the number of cases compared to the same period last year prodding Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar to declare a measles outbreak in the city. "The DOH attributed these outbreaks to low vaccine coverage in the past years,” Vargas lamented. “It was reported that the controversy pertaining to the Dengvaxia vaccine was among the main reasons behind the refusal of some parents in those areas to avail of free vaccination for measles for their children,” he noted. Citing Article II Section15 of the 1987 Constitution, Vargas said it is the state’s responsibility to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.