The Philippine government will soon receive H1N1 vaccines from the World Health Organization (WHO) after the two parties signed an agreement yesterday and presented the document to Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier today. The said agreement stipulates that the government will ensure its registration and authorize its use; commit to its appropriate and ethical use; handle its importation, customs clearance and distribution; and notify WHO of occurrence of any unexpected adverse events.
The endowment, according to WHO Director General Margaret Chan, is part of WHO’s pledge to make the distribution equitable and fair to developing countries and poor and vulnerable populations once it becomes available.
The WHO made this commitment during the 60th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in September this year where WHO said that its donations coming from more developed countries and pharmaceuticals will be enough to cover 10% of the population of the developing world.
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) disclosed that the first deliveries of the vaccines shall be given to health care providers.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said that these medical personnel are at higher risk of getting the disease than ordinary people due to the larger probability of exposure, plus they may also unknowingly transmit the infections to their families and other patients with other illnesses.
Duque said that the next in the priority list are pregnant women because they have 10x the risk of needing intensive care if infected compared to the general population; people aged 6 months to 59 years old with chronic medical conditions; children five years old and below and adults who are beyond 60 years old (healthy or otherwise) because they are considered to be at highest risk of severe infection; and lastly, the remainder of the population.
The health chief stressed that the vaccination is free of charge and will only be given to those who will volunteer to be immunized against the novel virus.
Duque said that the WHO estimates that it will be able to obtain donations and funding for procurement of at least 200 million vaccines in the first year, which will be enough to cover 10% of the population of the developing world.
“But of course, we cannot afford to just sit and wait for it. Therefore, we are now making our best efforts to procure on our own,” the health chief said, emphasizing that the DOH has already allocated P100 million for it this year.
We have to understand, however, the reality that because the global manufacturing capacity is limited, supplies may be initially inadequate and not readily be augmented,” Duque explained.
The government also expressed its gratefulness to the WHO for its continuous health assistance to the victims of the three consecutive typhoons and tropical storms that hit the country recently.
WHO also responded to the request of the DOH to send a team of experts from the WHO Global Outbreak and Alert Response Network (GOARN) to assess the leptospirosis outbreak in the country and to help improve the country’s post-disaster surveillance and disease outbreak control and response efforts.
“We laud the WHO for its steady collaborative partnership with the Philippine government in mounting a coordinated and integrated health sector response to many disease challenges in the country especially in times of disasters. Our country is grateful,” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said.
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