PH Consulate General in Hong Kong Conducts Free Measles Vaccination Program

Nurses from the Hong Kong Department of Health at the designated Vaccination Area of the Philippine Consulate. (Hong Kong PCG photo)

HONG KONG 10 August 2019 – The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, in partnership with the Hong Kong Department of Health (HK-DOH), conducted a free vaccination program at the Consulate General to combat measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) on 28 July 2019.

There were 216 Filipino domestic workers who were vaccinated that day while another 352 workers were vaccinated last 13 July 2019.

The free vaccination of Filipino domestic workers is a pilot program of the Philippine Consulate General and the HK-DOH. Upon learning of the Hong Kong Government’s campaign to prevent the spread of measles in the city, former Consul General to Hong Kong Antonio A. Morales reached out to the HK-DOH to offer assistance.

In a meeting with HK-DOH Centre for Health Protection -Emergency Response and Information Branch head Dr. Kwong Kwok-Hai Heston and HK-DOH Principal Medical Officer Dr. Lin Wai-chi, the Consulate General agreed to hold voluntary vaccination of Filipino domestic workers at the premises of the Consulate General in Admiralty and at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Wan Chai.

In the future, the HK-DOH plans to make arrangements to allow foreign domestic workers to visit public health facilities to avail of free MMR vaccinations without any need of pre-registration.

The free vaccination program of the Consulate General and the HK-DOH at POLO will be held on 10 and 24 August 2019. Another session will be held on 31 August 2019.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. Complications of measles include ear infection, bronchitis, laryngitis, croup, pneumonia, encephalitis, and pregnancy-related complications. Measles causes about 100,000 deaths in a year worldwide, mostly for those who are under 5 years old.

The Consulate General encourages Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong to avail of the free measles vaccination of HK-DOH for their own safety and for the safety of the families that they are working for, especially those who are caring for young children and/or the elderly. END

Consul General to Hong Kong Antonio A. Morales with Filipinos who benefited from the free measles vaccination program at the Consulate General. (Hong Kong PCG photo)

For more information, visit https://www.hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinHK/.