DOH advertising budget can be augmented for nationwide immunization drive -- Recto
Published Sep 21, 2019 07:26 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Saturday said the Department of Health (DOH) could use its advertising, publication, and printing budgets in 2020 for its nationwide immunization drive.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Recto made the proposal after the DOH announced the return of polio in the country after 19 years, yet another effect of the vaccine scare in connection to the Dengvaxia controversy in 2018.
He blamed “unfounded fears” for the declining immunization rate for all types of vaccines for children to a low 66 percent last year, way below the 95 percent target by the DOH.
"Polio is making a comeback, partly because many of our people have been paralyzed by the fear generated by fake news on vaccines," Recto said in a statement.
"Superstition in digital form and viral chismis are aiding the spread of many viruses," he added.
The Senate leader said he found four items in the DOH's P91.7-billion proposed budget for next year that can be tapped to augment its anti-dengue, anti-measles, and anti-polio efforts.
He referred to the agency's proposed 2020 allocation for advertising, P622.3 million; "printing and publication", P79 million; traveling, P530 million.
He added that the DOH could also use part of its P2.16-billion appropriation for “training and scholarship.”
"My suggestion is for them to practice ‘financial triage’. Unahin ang importante, at ipagliban kung ano ang postponable (Prioritize what's important, hold off those that are postponable),” Recto said.
"Yung pera para sa mga consultations sa mga hotels, kung hindi naman importante ang pag-uusapan, dalhin na lang sa mga frontlines (The money for consultation events in hotels, if the topics are not too important, should be brought to the frontlines),” he appealed.
"These can be cut and then rechanneled to buy more vaccines to inoculate more people; and for those already sick, to bring more personnel, medicines, and equipment to treatment facilities," he added.
For its immunization program for 2020, the DOH has allocated P7.54 billion to purchase vaccines for millions of infants, grade school pupils, pregnant women and senior citizens against various viruses.
Recto, however, said that for the success of these vaccination programs, beneficiaries "should be inoculated against wrong information. Kailangan ng gamot laban sa haka-haka.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Recto made the proposal after the DOH announced the return of polio in the country after 19 years, yet another effect of the vaccine scare in connection to the Dengvaxia controversy in 2018.
He blamed “unfounded fears” for the declining immunization rate for all types of vaccines for children to a low 66 percent last year, way below the 95 percent target by the DOH.
"Polio is making a comeback, partly because many of our people have been paralyzed by the fear generated by fake news on vaccines," Recto said in a statement.
"Superstition in digital form and viral chismis are aiding the spread of many viruses," he added.
The Senate leader said he found four items in the DOH's P91.7-billion proposed budget for next year that can be tapped to augment its anti-dengue, anti-measles, and anti-polio efforts.
He referred to the agency's proposed 2020 allocation for advertising, P622.3 million; "printing and publication", P79 million; traveling, P530 million.
He added that the DOH could also use part of its P2.16-billion appropriation for “training and scholarship.”
"My suggestion is for them to practice ‘financial triage’. Unahin ang importante, at ipagliban kung ano ang postponable (Prioritize what's important, hold off those that are postponable),” Recto said.
"Yung pera para sa mga consultations sa mga hotels, kung hindi naman importante ang pag-uusapan, dalhin na lang sa mga frontlines (The money for consultation events in hotels, if the topics are not too important, should be brought to the frontlines),” he appealed.
"These can be cut and then rechanneled to buy more vaccines to inoculate more people; and for those already sick, to bring more personnel, medicines, and equipment to treatment facilities," he added.
For its immunization program for 2020, the DOH has allocated P7.54 billion to purchase vaccines for millions of infants, grade school pupils, pregnant women and senior citizens against various viruses.
Recto, however, said that for the success of these vaccination programs, beneficiaries "should be inoculated against wrong information. Kailangan ng gamot laban sa haka-haka.”