READINESS ON NEW COVID VARIANTS AND VACCINE FUNDING, DOH

Ample funds for the emerging Covid variant according to the department (Photo courtesy of Philippine Star)

The Department of Health recently announced that the country is still at low risk despite a slight increase in CoVid-19 cases. And now that a new variant is spreading globally, the department advised the public to take basic health measures and to do a thorough screening in the country’s Point of Entry.

"Whether or not sequencing shows variants flagged by global health agencies, the DOH assumes the flagged Omicron sub-variants are already likely here and notes that cases continue to be clinically mild and manageable," DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Francis Domingo said.

"The department remains in close coordination with international health authorities. The Bureau of Quarantine is keeping a close watch over points of entry nationwide, as demonstrated by the latest instructions for heightened screening," he added.

On the meeting of the House Committee on Appropriations, several issues within the DOH were found including mishandled inventories, unutilized funds, and inefficiencies in vaccine distribution and health program implementations.

In the House of Representatives stating and questioning the budget the DOH has after lamenting reports that there’s no budget for vaccines on their readiness to manage the new Covid FLiRT variant. There are a lot funds but there’s no specific line item “you can realign, you can use QRF (quick response fund) and other items, you can also make a request to DBM.” 

“The agency has a total allotment of P229.7 billion, with 2022 continuing appropriations (CONAP) of P25.22 billion. Out of this budget, there is an unobligated allotment of P20.88 billion, an obligation rate of 92 percent, and a disbursement rate of 80 percent,” it stated. 

“As of March 31, 2024, DOH's total allotment is P256.01 billion. Out of that amount, P58.64 billion or 23 percent had been obligated and P31.28 billion or 53 percent had been paid or disbursed,” it added.

DOH Undersecretary Achilles Gerard Bravo responded that the unutilized budgets will be allocated for new CoVid vaccines and other health response programs. The DOH also plans to increase PhilHealth ward allocations, and assured to enhance PhilHealth coverage for indigent patients.

Source: Philippine News Agency

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