Villar wants free comprehensive immunizations for all Filipino children

As a health priority at the start of the year, Senate President Manny Villar reminded the government and the public to ensure the immunization of children to guard against preventable illnesses.

Villar filed Senate Bill 1826 seeking to give free comprehensive vaccination to all Filipino children especially those from poor families to protect their health and avoid hospitalization draining hard-earned resources.

At least 500,000 Filipino infants annually remain unvaccinated and vulnerable to maladies.

Villar's bill is entitled, "An Act promoting the full realization of the Constitutional provisions on social justice and the right to health through the strengthening of a comprehensive free vaccination and immunization program for Filipino infants and children and for other purposes."

"Recognizing that vaccinations and immunizations for children have become expensive and inaccessible to poor families, it is hereby declared that the same should be made available for free administration and comprehensively adopted as a program of social justice," the bill states.

"The Department of Health, through all government hospitals, its satellite offices, accredited clinics and medical institutions, shall provide for free the following vaccinations and immunizations for infants and children: Hepatitis B, DPT (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), H. influenza type B (HiB), Polio, Rotavirus, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), and Varicella (chicken pox)," the measure specifies.

An allocation of P1 billion shall be included in the DOH budget yearly to finance the program. At least one percent of all earnings made by government-owned and controlled corporations shall be collected to form part of the fund for the said purpose.

Villar, Nacionalist Party president, said, "By giving all Filipino children, especially the underprivileged, access to all necessary immunization, we ensure the protection of their health and well-being, and lessen parental worries."