Immunization
MAHALAGA umano na matuloy ang National Immunization Program ng gobyerno upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng mga sakit habang kinakaharap ng bansa ang coronavirus disease 2019.
Maaari na rin umanong mamili ang gobyerno kung anong klaseng pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) ang bibilhin nito para sa mass vaccination laban sa pneumonia.
Ayon sa Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) lumabas sa pag-aaral na ang PCV10 at PCV13 ay “comparable in performance”.
“We have been given updates on both PCV10 and PCV13. These updates have been reviewed and assessed by the immunization committee and we see that both are comparable,” ani Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi, vice-president ng PIDSP.
“So, the updates that were given to us by both companies we have forwarded to the Department of Health (DOH) and we leave it to the DOH, which pneumococcal vaccine will be made available for public use. Especially given for free to the vulnerable children.”
Sinabi naman ni Health Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire na hinihintay ng DoH ang review sa PCV10 at PCV13 na isinasagawa ng Health Technology Assessment Committee (HTAC).
Ayon kay Vergerie gagastos ang gobyerno ng P4.9 bilyon sa pagbili ng PCV.
Sinabi ni PHILRECA Rep. Presley de Jesus na dapat magsagawa ng competitive public bidding sa pagbili ng PCV upang mas maraming bakuna ang mabili at mabakunahan nito.
“First, as a policy, we should not delay the procurement of vaccines for VPDs (vaccine-preventable diseases) especially as we have seen a surge of VPDs in several pockets of community outbreaks. While the DOH promised a swift review of the PCV tender, we at Congress should make sure the viability of all types of pneumonia vaccines,” ani de Jesus.
Iginiit naman ni House committee on health chairman Angelina Tan na mas lalaki ang problema ng bansa kung lalaganap ang iba pang sakit na maaaring namang maiwasan.
Suportado naman ito ni Dr. Wilda Silva, National Immunization Program Manager ng DoH na nagsabi na maaaring makaiwas ang isang tao sa polio, diphtheria, pertussis, at tigdas.
“Although there is a big problem about SARS-CoV-2, we should not forget other diseases which have vaccines as a bullet to control these vaccine preventable diseases,” ani Silva.