Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) — Rolling out a vaccination program for COVID-19 should not be the only solution to the health crisis, a civil society group said.
The Coalition for People’s Right to Health underscored the need to strengthen the country’s healthcare system to ensure Filipinos have access to basic health services. The group explained that a vaccine does not ensure that people will not get sick, which has happened with other diseases like influenza and pneumonia.
“Nandiyan pa rin ‘yung making sure maayos ang health system para naaagapan ‘yung kaso, nada-diagnose at nati-treat early at nagagawa ‘yung very important services such as quarantine, proper nutrition and sanitation,” Dr. Josh San Pedro, the coalition’s co-convenor, stated on Thursday.
[Translation: We have to make sure the health system is working well so we can prevent, diagnose and treat cases early and maintain the very important services such as quarantine, proper nutrition and sanitation.]
Maristela Abenojar, a nurse, also expressed concern that government resources will be exhausted on buying vaccines which could mean that other health needs might not be prioritized like protective gear for frontliners.
The 2021 budget allocates almost ₱5 billion for the purchase of over two million sets of personal protective equipment for medical workers.
“[Are] two million PPEs enough, given na umaabot na tayo sa kalahating milyon na cases at marami tayong community infection? Kailangan siguraduhin na sila ay may appropriate medical grade PPEs,” Abenojar stressed.
[Translation: Are two million PPEs enough given that we have reached half a million cases and we have community infection? We need to make sure they have appropriate medical grade PPEs.]
The group also urged the government to be more careful when approving COVID-19 vaccines. It pointed out that Chinese drug developer Sinovac has yet to publish complete data on clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccines.
President Rodrigo Duterte had defended the government’s purchase of vaccine from Sinovac, saying the Chinese “do not lack brains”.
