Health advocates on Tuesday urged the government to expedite the procurement and rollout of critical vaccines as the typhoon season heightens the risk of preventable diseases among children, expectant mothers, and seniors.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) has already flagged the Philippines for a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases,” Bayan Bakuna lead convenor, doctor Mikaella Jeleene Salinas Asoy, said.
“We urge the government to fast-track procurement, as millions of Filipinos depend on timely access to free vaccines for protection,” she added.
Advocates warn that several vaccines, including Measles-Rubella, Human Papillomavirus, Tetanus-Diphtheria, Pneumococcal, and Influenza, remain unawarded or stuck in rebidding processes despite requests made as early as the first quarter of 2025.
Bayan Bakuna noted that influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are ideally administered before the rainy season to allow time for immunity to develop, making the current delays especially concerning.
While the Philippines is no longer among the top five countries with the most zero-dose children, advocates said the country must act swiftly to maintain progress. As of January, only 61 percent of eligible children are fully immunized, falling short of the 95-percent coverage required to achieve herd immunity.
The coalition expressed optimism that procurement will improve following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), where he urged the Department of Health (DOH) to complete childhood immunizations.
