DOH: 6 million doses of pertussis vaccine to arrive in July

Six million doses of the pentavalent vaccine that could give protection against pertussis and other diseases are expected to arrive in the Philippines by July, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said that this 5-in-1 vaccine could be given to children as young as six weeks old amid the rising “whooping cough” cases in the country. Aside from pertussis, the pentavalent vaccine could also offer protection from diphtheria, tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B.

“Meron kaming darating na 6 million doses of pentavalent by July. Ito ‘yung na-procure na bakuna para sa Pilipinas,” Herbosa said in a media forum.

(We have 6 million doses of pentavalent vaccines that will arrive by July. These were the vaccines procured for the Philippines.)

The Health chief earlier announced that there may be a shortage of pertussis vaccines in May as the national government’s stocks “are running low” at only 64,400 doses, as of March 25.

To address this, DOH is seeking to procure an older type of vaccine called DPT, which could only protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

Herbosa, however, disclosed that the certificate of product registration of the DPT vaccine has already expired, requiring it to be registered once more at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

He is also waiting for the arrival of an  additional three million doses of DPT vaccine.

“‘Pag nakuha natin itong DPT, mapupunan ‘yung kakulangan natin from May, June, until July bago dumating [ang pentavalent]. Hindi naman siya shortage, ang tinatawag namin diyan, stock out,” Herbosa said.

(When we receive these DPT vaccines, we will be able to fill the shortage of vaccines from May, June, until July, before the pentavalent vaccine arrives. It's actually not a shortage, we call it a stock out.)

He also said that there is no need for the public to worry if there is a lack of supply of vaccines as pertussis is a bacterial infection and could be treated by antibiotics.

“Pinabili ko na rin ‘yung mga antibiotics para ma-stock sa mga ospital, so that kapag may batang nagka-pertussis, magagamot siya at hindi siya mamamatay,” he added.

(I have also requested the purchase of antibiotics that will be stocked in hospitals, so that when a child is infected with pertussis, he or she can be treated and can look to a full recovery.)

The DOH’s latest data showed that a total of 1,112 cases have been recorded nationwide from January 1 to March 30, 2024.

This is almost 34 times higher than the 32 cases recorded during the same period last year.

Fifty-four people have died this year due to pertussis. All of the fatalities are children less than five years old.—RF, GMA Integrated News