Revitalize info drive to help address vaccine hesitancy, Tolentino tells DOH

MANILA - Senator Francis 'TOL' N. Tolentino urged the Department of Health (DOH) to revitalize its information drive to help address the vaccine hesitancy of the general population.

During Thursday's Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry in connection with the supposed non-disclosure agreement (NDA) provision enshrined in the vaccine procurement contracts by the government, Tolentino, the panel chair, asked officials from DOH on why there is no more regular daily briefing in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Parang wala na nag re-report? Kasi dati everyday naririnig natin... Kayo, Ma'am, naririnig namin araw-araw na ito nag bakuna na tayo ngayon sa La Union, ito ngayon sa Kalinga, ito yung infection rate, everyday. Ngayon po ba mayroon po o tinigil niyo na rin?" Tolentino asked DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire.

According to Tolentino, the decline in the vaccination rates these days could be attributed to the authorities' poor-handling of information drive to convince the general population to have their respective booster shots amid some 44-million doses of COVID-19 vaccines that had been wasted--mostly after it had gone unused and past their respective shelf life.

"Can you attribute that to the decline now in number of vaccinations being done as well as the perceived vaccination hesitancy among the populace? Ayaw na nila kasi walang sense of urgency na eh. Hindi na kayo nakikita," Tolentino added.

The DOH admitted to the Senate panel that the weekly COVID-19 vaccination rate only stands at 46,000 doses per week, way low than the 50.74 million doses of procured vaccines that are set to expire in the next few months.

Vergeire also added the health department continues to deliver updates through their official website in connection with the COVID pandemic. But according to Tolentino, having a regular public briefing will help encourage the people to have their respective booster shots.

Tolentino's panel on Thursday finally concluded its probe in connection with the NDAs of procured COVID-19 vaccines, noting that the primary purpose of the inquiry is "to really come up with policies" that would ensure that if ever a pandemic strikes again in the coming years, the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic "would be part of the policies that are being implemented to benefit the people."

"We enjoin the Department of Health to really be present in the daily discussion on how we can make the people realize that vaccines are still needed."