The Manila Times
A HEALTH expert urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to consider offering free vaccinations to its members, stressing that preventive care could help reduce long-term health care costs. Brian Posadas, vice president of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, said the state insurer should expand its focus from covering specific vaccines to making immunization more accessible through free vaccination programs. “We sincerely hope PhilHealth would start considering giving free vaccines as well to partners because that is how we can protect the country,” Posadas said in a press briefing. Posadas noted that vaccination rates among adults in the country remain low, partly due to high out-of-pocket costs and limited access, especially in remote areas. Unlike childhood immunizations under the government’s National Immunization Program, adult vaccination lacks comprehensive monitoring and support. Posadas said expanding preventive programs through PhilHealth could help address vaccine hesitancy and improve overall public health outcomes. “Let’s not just look at it as an initial cost. Let’s look at it as prevention for further complications that could cause more harm,” he added. Posadas also highlighted the need for better health data systems, noting that there is no comprehensive data tracking of adult immunization in the country. “The sad reality is there’s no statistical data that really monitors adult vaccination,” Posadas said during a press briefing. “Even with pediatric vaccines, coverage is already low — much more so for adults.” He attributed this gap to structural challenges, including limited access to vaccines and the absence of systematic reporting mechanisms for adult immunization. In many cases, even health care providers struggle to maintain consistent records. Meanwhile, Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, said that public interest in vaccines tends to rise only during health scares, such as disease outbreaks or high-profile deaths. “The vaccination rates are increasing if there's an alert. And then, it dies very slowly,” she said. The health experts urged stronger preventive health care policies by reducing the out-of-pocket expenses of patients to drive up vaccination rates.
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