Senators, voting 18-0, approved on third reading Wednesday P1.161 billion supplemental funding for the Department of Health’s anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine inoculation drive.
Senator Loren Legarda, principal sponsor of the measure, said the fund will be used to support the DOH’s Dengvaxia vaccine project which includes provisions for recipients medical assistance for hospitalization, medical kits, out-patient care services and laboratory tests.
As approved, the supplemental funding will bankroll DOH’ various programs, including: P945.82 million for the Medical Assistance Program, which provides assistance for admitted patients in hospitals and outpatients; P78.29 million for assessment and monitoring of Dengvaxia vaccines; P70 million for the supplies and medicine and P67.59 million for human resource deployment.
DOH officials told senators the biggest allocation of P945.8 million for medical assistance is expected to stretch up to five years, adding that Dengvaxia ID cards are also being funded from the supplemental budget being earmarked in the supplemental budget will be sturdier than the Dengvaxia cards released by the agency last January.