Direct funds to public hospitals for Dengvaxia victims

We write concerning the P1.16 billion refunded by Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur. Our group Aksyon Health Workers urges the Senate and the House of Representatives that the refund should be used to proactively provide for the direct medical and other assistance to Dengvaxia vaccine victims.

As per the Senate version, the refund will be allotted as follows: P945,827,530 for Medical Assistance Program (MAP); P78,296,250 for the assessment and monitoring of Dengvaxia-vaccinated children; P70,000,000 for supplies and medicine; P67,586,220 for health workers to be deployed to monitor the vaccinated kids.

While we welcome the Senate’s approval of the special fund for Dengvaxia victims, the Senate could have done better by allotting the almost P1 billion to direct health services for Dengvaxia victims in public hospitals and health facilities. We are deeply concerned that the bulk of this special fund shall only be accessed through MAP. In the recent years, MAP has been known to use the same system as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which requires referral from legislators prior to availment and utilization of program funds. PDAF or pork barrel has been declared illegal since 2013.

Thus, we urge the Senate to reevaluate the allotment they passed and consider placing the funds directly to public hospitals and health facilities to provide immediate and direct health care and services to the Dengvaxia victims. – JOSEPH CARABEO, MD, president, AKSYON Health Workers, aksyonhw@gmail.com