Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan has called for the swift approval of a measure that aims to expand the list of free vaccines given to Filipinos in all life stages.
Yamsuan said this measure–House Bill (HB) 1092–involves including the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and immunization from the rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, human papilloma virus (HPV), and boosters for measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphteria in the list of vaccine-preventable diseases covered by the government’s National Immunization Program.
The expanded list shall also include other types of vaccines as determined by the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) upon the recommendation of Congress and a health experts’ group created under the bill.
Under the current law, Republic Act 10152, the mandatory basic immunization services are limited to tuberculosis; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; poliomyelitis; measles; mumps; Rubella or German measles; hepatitis-B; and the H. Influenza type B (HIB). These only cover infants and children, Yamsuan said.
“The emergence of more vaccine-preventable diseases underscore the need to expand the list of the government’s mandatory immunization program for infants, children, and other Filipinos in all life stages. Dapat ay maging proactive tayo at laging handa sa halip na maging reactive lang ang aksyon pagdating sa kalusugan, lalo na ng ating mga anak,” said Yamsuan, who co-authored HB 1092.
(We should be proactive and always be prepared instead of just being reactive when it comes to the issue of health, especially of our children’s.)
Yamsuan said he has pushed for the congressional approval of this measure, along with the bill that aims to provide free annual medical checkups for all Filipinos (HB 1785), after data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) found that out-of-pocket health-related payments of families accounted for a worrisome 44.4 percent of the country’s total health expenditures in 2023.
“Ibig sabihin ay malaki pa rin ang halagang nanggagaling sa sariling bulsa ng maraming Pilipino pagdating sa kanilang pagpapagamot at pagpapa-ospital,” Yamsuan said.
“This means that a big chunk of expenses for medical treatment and hospitalization still comes from the pockets of many Filipinos.)
Yamsuan said consultations with residents in his home city in Parañaque also show that keeping healthy is their top concern.
“Kapag tayo ay nag-invest sa preventive healthcare tulad ng pagbibigay ng libreng bakuna at free medical checkups, maiiwasan ang mas malaking gastusin sa pagpapagamot na siyang nagbibigay ng problema, stress at kawalan ng pag-asa sa maraming Pilipino,” said Yamsuan, who also co-authored the proposed Free Annual Medical Checkup Act.
(If we invest in preventive healthcare such as providing free vaccines and free medical checkups, we can avert incurring bigger medical expenses that bring problems, stress and feelings of hopelessness to many Filipinos.)
Yamsuan said HB 1092 also aims to curtail the authority of the DOH in unilaterally determining which type of vaccines should be included in the mandatory basic immunization program.
A National Immunization Technical and Advisory Group (NITAG) composed of experts from various health-related fields shall be established under the bill to assist the DOH in formulating policies, plans and strategies that would ensure the country’s mandatory immunization program lead to better health outcomes for Filipinos.
Yamsuan said the recommendation of the NITAG and the conduct of a separate or joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the House Committee on Health are required before the DOH can include or exclude vaccines from the mandatory immunization list.
“But when there is a pandemic, and when Congress is not in session, the public hearings need not be conducted,” Yamsuan said.
The DOH also has the power under the bill to determine the vaccines suitable for various age groups.
Under the bill, the DOH, other state agencies, the local government units (LGUs) and private organizations shall institute an efficient public information dissemination system, especially among pregnant women, to increase public awareness on the importance of immunization as a disease prevention strategy.
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