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MANILA, Philippines?The Philippines will be placing an order for P100 million worth of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccines to be given primarily to its frontline health workers.
In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, who is in Hong Kong attending the World Health Organization (WHO) regional committee meeting, said the amount was enough to cover only the frontline workers who come into contact with suspected flu patients although government policy is to prioritize the ?vulnerable? groups when it comes to distributing the medicine.
Duque chaired the regional committee meeting held in Manila last year. Thirty-seven United Nations member states comprise the Western Pacific region that is holding the meeting.
Duque said the government hoped the country?s vaccine needs would be augmented with donations by the WHO and countries such as the United States, Australia, Japan and those in the European Union.
?We will give highest priority to vulnerable groups such as frontline health workers, pregnant women, people with co-morbid conditions, as well as the very young and the very old with immuno-compromised health status. We will discuss our vaccination strategy in the task force beginning next week,? he said.
In Manila, Duque?s chief executive assistant, Dr. Robert So, said Tuesday the P100 million in vaccines ?would be ?sourced? from the lowest-priced quality source. Many companies such as GSK, Novartis have proposals. We are [also] exploring getting these from China and Thailand.?
The 60th session of the regional committee meeting opened on Monday with an address from WHO director general Dr. Margaret Chan and newly elected regional director Dr. Shin Young-Soo.
Chan said the WHO was committed to making sure that developing countries were not left empty-handed when it came to dealing with the A(H1N1) pandemic.
?A virus that causes manageable disruption in wealthy countries is very likely to cause devastation elsewhere,? she said.
She said the WHO would make sure there would be equitable distribution of flu vaccines once they became available.
