By Christine Fabro
The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, May 27, said sourcing of vaccines and discussions on RT-PCR tests for monkeypox is being carried out in the event of a possible virus outbreak.
In a Viber message to reporters, the DOH explained it is still “exploring all possible available sources and expedient legal methods for the procurement of monkeypox vaccines.”
“At present, the DOH is preparing supply chains and logistics services. There are ongoing internal discussions, based on scientific evidence, for the possible acquisition of antivirals in the event of an outbreak or severe cases,” it added.
Meanwhile, the DOH said it is in coordination with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Philippine Genome Center for the monitoring and surveillance of monkeypox through RT-PCR tests.
“DOH will rely on scientific evidence to guide its decisions for procurement. We will provide updates once substantive developments have occurred,” the DOH said.
DOH Undersecretary Dr. Abdullah Dumama, Jr. on Monday, May 23, said the country will implement the “Four-Door Strategy” to prevent the entry of monkeypox disease.
Among the strategies include border control, screening, testing, quarantine at points of entry, strengthening the implementation of Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate strategies, and strengthening health and critical capacity and systems against a possible surge of cases.
To date, no monkeypox cases have been reported in the country.
National immunization program
Although monkeypox vaccines have already been developed in other countries, the DOH said such vaccination is not yet included in the country’s immunization program since it is “not yet widely available” per the World Health Organization.
The National Immunization Program covers administration of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles.
Included in the program are newborns, infants, older children, pregnant, and senior citizens. – ag
