DOH, solon push for sustained vaccination program to prevent more COVID-like diseases in the future

Immunization, especially among children, is one of the essential services that cannot be hampered despite the current health crisis, a senior health official said. Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) During a press briefing, Department of Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed that vaccination in local governments’ health facilities will continue amid the lockdown. “Wala pong nabago sa ating mga serbisyo. Tuloy pa rin po ang ating mga serbisyong pangkalusugan dito sa ating bayan,” (Nothing will change in the implementation of our services . The implementation of our health services will continue), Vergeire said. Vergeire added, “Kahit na po sabihin natin na meron po tayong lockdown, ito po ay tinutuloy pa rin natin dahil alam po natin na essential services po itong mga bagay na ito.” (Even if we are in a lockdown, this will continue because we understand that this is part of essential services.) Vergeire’s pronouncement supports the pending bill that creates the Mandatory Immunization Program, co-sponsored by Bagong Henerasyon Representative and Deputy House Majority Leader Bernadette Herrera. When enacted, the bill will require everyone to be vaccinated against preventable diseases, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis-B, human influenza type B, rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, human papilloma virus, varicella or chickenpox, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), boosters for measles, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria, and such other preventable diseases that may be determined by the Secretary of Health. In a previous statement, Herrera emphasized the importance of the mandatory immunization program for vaccine-preventable diseases. "Among these preventable diseases, pneumonia is one of the most dreaded, as it severely and adversely affects children and those of advanced age. It is among the top killer diseases in the country," revealed Herrera. Under the proposed measure on this bill, vaccines shall be administered for free in any government hospital or health facility, in any public school or community, and in any private health facility if such is included in the PhilHealth benefit package. Herrera also stressed that there is a need to break the monopoly in the procurement of pneumonia vaccines. "The procurement of the pneumonia vaccines alone for this year will cost around P4.9 billion, almost three times the amount of the Dengvaxia procurement. For this reason alone, we must be vigilant and make sure that the DOH will not favor a single supplier or a single type of pneumonia vaccine,” Herrera explained. “I implore the DOH to complete its assessment of the viability all types of pneumonia vaccines and conduct an open and competitive bidding," she added. In the Philippines, there are two pneumonia vaccines in the market, PCV10, and PCV13. According to the World Health Organization, the two vaccines are comparable and are both equally effective in preventing overall pneumococcal diseases in children. While Pneumonia remains at the third spot next to ischemic heart disease and cancer as causes of death among Filipinos, it remains to be the number one killer disease among children five years old and below. While encouraging parents to still visit rural health facilities for their infant’s scheduled immunization, Vergeire also insisted that local government units must ensure that proper scheduling of vaccination among newborns must be implemented and followed. This is to impose orderliness whilst strictly adhering to social distancing practices that aim to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.