‘DOH should use P634 million advertisement budget to fight vaccine fake news’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Monday said the Department of Health should allocate its million-worth of advertising budget to information drive intended to fight the fake news on vaccines.

In a release, Recto said the DOH has P634 million advertising budget for this year, "which it should use to fight the fake news that all vaccines are bad." He made the suggestion amid the scare caused by the Dengvaxia controversy.

Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo last Friday said there was a widespread of fears following the controversy on dengue vaccine blamed for child deaths. He said several parents now refuse to get their children immunized since the news broke.

READ: Dengvaxia row wreaks havoc on Philippine war on disease

For Recto, however, the DOH’s budget for advertisement, he dubbed “advertising war chest,” is big enough to “to calm unfounded concerns that immunization causes harm.”

"Whether we like it or not, one side effect of this Dengvaxia controversy is that people are asking if the vaccines to be bought using taxpayers' money are safe," Recto said.

“I know that they ought to be, but the DOH must still go out of its way to assure the public that vaccines meet the highest standards,” he added.

Recto cited that the government is purchasing P7.43 billion worth of vaccines this year. These vaccines seek to fulfill immunization of 2.7 million infants.

About 1.4 million infants would be given pneumococcal vaccine while 2.7 million infants would be administered Japanese Encephalitis vaccine.

Aside from the infants, 2.1 million and 1.7 million Grade 1 and Grade 7 pupils, would be given from anti-Tetanus-Diptheria, and Measles shots, respectively. Around 2.7 pregnant women would also benefit from the tetanus vaccine.

On the other hand, seniors would be administered 1.2 million flu shots and 1.3 million pneumococcal vaccines.

According to Recto, local government units also purchase vaccines.

Earlier, Domingo cited that the immunization rates for polio, chicken pox, tetanus, and other diseases significantly decreased from previous years since the government halted the sale and distribution of the Dengvaxia vaccine in December.

Due to this, Recto pushes for the right usage of information drive to alleviate fears of parents. He cited that some reports mentioned even deworming of children is being feared.

"Science must trump superstition," the senator said. —Rosette Adel