BY JOVEN TUNGALA
Senator Win Gatchalian on Monday called on local government units to provide assistance to the Department of Health in rolling out catch-up vaccinations amid a recent spike in pertussis cases.
“Despite the continued increase in pertussis cases, it is important for us to intensify vaccination efforts to protect our fellowmen, especially children at higher risk of contracting the disease,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“Vaccines against diseases have been proven safe and effective, so we urge local government units to enhance vaccination efforts,” he added.
According to the DOH, the number of cases of pertussis or whooping cough reached 826 as of March 23, which is already 30 times higher than the numbers recorded at the same time last year.
The department also recorded 49 deaths due to pertussis since the beginning of the year. The department further noted that 79% of infected patients were children younger than five years old, six out of ten of whom were either unvaccinated or had an unfamiliar vaccination history.
Previously, the DOH only had 64,000 pentavalent (5-in-1) vaccine doses, which offer protection from pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B. The DOH has already procured and is now waiting for 3 million pentavalent doses.
In the long run, Gatchalian also emphasized the need to boost local capacity for vaccine development. The senator filed the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act of 2022 (Senate Bill 941), which seeks to provide initiatives that boost local vaccine development, sustain production, and boost technology transfer.
The proposed measure seeks to create the VIP, which shall serve as the premier research and development institute in the field of virology, encompassing all areas in viruses and viral diseases in plants, animals, and humans.
Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag previously said in news reports that due to lockdowns imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, children were not brought to health centers for their routine immunization.
Even though restrictions were lifted, some parents still refused to bring their children outside for fear of contracting coronavirus.
According to the DOH National Immunization Program, only 72%—below the 90% target—of more than 2 million children aged one year below are fully immunized.
