DOH: Pertussis cases continue to rise
THE Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reported that the latest data on measles-rubella (MR) cases indicates that overall transmission may be slowing down, but pertussis cases are still on an upward trend.
Figures from the DOH showed that a total of 1,627 cases of MR in the country, with 4 deaths recorded from January up to April 6.
The DOH also said children under 10 years old were most at risk for MR, as many of those who fell ill were below 5 years old.
Close to half of the cases (787) are from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where a nonselective Measles Outbreak Response Immunization (MORI) is now in the second week of its intensive phase. Almost 850,000 children in BARMM have been vaccinated for this MORI as of April 14.
The top three BARMM provinces with the highest percentage of target population vaccinated are: Maguindanao del Norte (88.5 percent); Sulu (79.2 percent); and Maguindanao del Sur (72.2 percent). Only 2.3 percent of those offered vaccines either deferred or refused.
PRC vaccination drive
THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is also ramping up its community-wide vaccination education in addition to its widescale measles vaccination efforts in the BARMM.
PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon directed the intensification of communitywide vaccination education in Mindanao.
“Parents’ hesitancy towards childhood immunization is a health threat to our communities and one of the factors that prevent Filipino children from living healthy and happy. We have to fight this threat through information dissemination and vaccine education. We are doing what we can to not only deliver information but to also ensure that communities understand vaccines and its crucial importance,” said Gordon.
PRC RC143 volunteers in Mindanao have been going around in geographically-isolated areas with megaphones to disseminate information and distribute more IEC materials for spreading awareness about vaccines and routine immunization. They are also conducting health promotions to parents.
From April 1 to 16, the PRC, through vaccinators and volunteers, vaccinated over 15,651 children, aged 6 months to 10 years old, in Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Basilan. As of April 15, the PRC has reached 83 communities.
“The government cannot do this alone. Our vaccinators and volunteers are assisting them. Nagpadala kami ng Volunteer Emergency Response Vehicles (VERVS), boats, at motorcycles para maabot ang mga bata na nakatira sa malalayong komunidad. Patuloy kaming magbabakuna hangga’t hindi natin nasisiguro na lahat ng bata, lalo na ang mga may edad anim na buwan hanggang sampu taong gulang, sa bansa ay ligtas at bakunado,” added Gordon.
Epidemic curve
THE national epidemic curve of new cases per week for MR, according to the DOH, is showing signs of plateauing, which indicates that overall transmission may be slowing down.
The protective effects of the MORI may not be seen in the epidemic curve until 4-6 weeks after it started.
Also, the DOH is cautious in interpreting trends as there may either be late reports like underreported numbers or cases previously recorded as clinically compatible but later on shown to have negative test results like overcounted cases.
However, the DOH said pertussis cases are still on an upward trend. Data from January 1 to April 6, showed a total of 1,477 cases since the start of the year, with 63 deaths recorded.
The outbreak response immunization is ongoing, and the DOH continues to await the arrival of the 3 million pentavalent (“five-inone”) vaccine doses by June or earlier, even as it obtains DPT (“three-in-one”) doses to prevent the anticipated shortfall in vaccines by May.
The Philippines continues to have stocks of pentavalent and TDAP vaccines in the private sector.
In the past six weeks, the following regions showed a continuous increase in the number of cases-cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Bicol Region.
For purposes of outbreak response, the DOH noted that data on the growth rate of cases is more pertinent to the department compared to the total number of cases, per given area. Of the total pertussis cases recorded, 76 percent were less than 5 years old. Adults aged 20 and older account for only around 4 percent of cases.
The DOH said it is cautious in interpreting trends. The number of cases may still change as there may be late consultations and reports.
“Just like in the emergency room, the fast and focused pace of an outbreak response highlights areas for improvement so we can save lives better. We are looking at adopting processes like Framework Agreements [FA] for procurement so that we can buy the vaccines faster. This is the way forward, even as we exhaust all possible means now to get what we need,” said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.
An FA for procurement, the DOH said, is used for repeatedly needed goods that are seen to be necessary and desirable but, by its nature, use, or characteristic, the quantity and/or exact time of need cannot be accurately pre-determined, and are not advisable to be carried in stock.
The FA is in the nature of an option contract between the procuring entity and the bidder/s, granting the procuring entity the option to either place an order for any of the goods identified in the FA List, or not to buy at all. It can be for a minimum period of one year to maximum period of three years.
Procurement under a FA still follows the procedure for competitive bidding as required by law, but it improves efficiency by allowing for the benefits and advantages of lean and just-in-time procurements.
Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Rep. Lray Villafuerte called on the DOH to expedite the necessary paperwork to facilitate the prompt distribution of unpaid Covid-19 allowances totaling P27 billion.
“Many of our healthcare workers [HCWS] who were at the frontlines of that threeyear global war against Covid have yet to receive the economic benefits due them for their untold sacrifices to save lives during the pandemic,” said Villafuerte, a lead author of the law that provided Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) to medical frontliners for their Covid-related services.
To address this issue, Villafuerte supported a proposal of the Department of Budget and Management for the DOH to accelerate the creation of a nationwide mapping system to track all allowances owed to HCWS, categorized by region and health facility.
Additionally, he endorsed a suggestion for the DOH to utilize a blanket memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Interior and Local Government and private organizations to streamline the release of outstanding Health Emergency Allowance claims.