House setting aside P250M to DOH for anti-polio drive — solon

The House of Representatives is setting aside an amount of P250 million to aid in the Department of Health (DOH)'s drive against polio following the reemergence of the disease in the country almost 20 years after it was eradicated. 

This was according Deputy Majority Leader Bernadette Herrera-Dy, citing information from House Committee on Appropriations chair Isidro Ungab.

"I'm happy na magkakaroon ng additional P250 million na augmentation na ni-release kanina ni Appropriations chair Rep. Ungab. Mahalaga yun para sa atin," Herrera-Dy told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.

Herrera-Dy said the DOH was initially asking an augmentation of P800 million, but the House first wanted to know the reason for requesting such a huge amount.

"Kaya siguro P250 million muna yung binigay namin dahil gusto naming makita bakit kailangan ng ganun kalaking pondo considering it's supposed to be part of the below five years old standard immunization for all children," she said.

"Yung P250 million kasi siguro dahil ngayon talagang kailangan suyurin ng lahat. Kung kaya natin gawing 100%, gawin nating 100% yung polio vaccine natin na three doses sa mga below five years old," she added.

Herrera-Dy also clarified that the World Health Organization has not removed the Philippines from the list of countries free of polio.

"As of yesterday, binabawi na nila. Polio-free pa rin tayo because hindi wild polio yung nasa ating bansa kasi it's vaccine-derived. Hindi pa tayo naaalis sa polio-free status as of now. That's what I want to make clear," she said.

"I think kinaklaro na rin ito ng Department of Health na because of certain terminologies, but we are not yet removed from the polio-free list. That was the latest statement," she added.

What is important now, Herrera-Dy said, is that parents will not fear getting their children vaccinated.

"Sana huwag naman tayong matanggal, ibig sabihin kailangan lang sugpuin pa natin ito," she said.

The DOH has confirmed at least two polio cases this year --- one in a 3-year-old girl in Lanao Del Sur and the other in a 5-year-old boy in Laguna. — RSJ, GMA News