Image: Courtesy of the office of Rep. Angelica Natasha Co.
MANILA, Philippines — There may be little need for a law if the compensation for people who may experience adverse side effects because of the Covid-19 vaccine can be done administratively by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and other government agencies, a lawmaker said Friday.
In a statement, Barangay Health Workers (BHW) party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co suggested that the state health insurer’s board of directors should immediately approve a new resolution providing the packages and rates for the PhilHealth coverage of possible adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccines requiring medicines and hospitalization.
This will “provide immediate legal backing to the indemnification agreements the Department of Health and National Task Force on COVID-19 signed with vaccine makers.”
Aside from this, the party-list lawmaker also suggested that the Employees Compensation Commission, Insurance Commission, Government Service Insurance Corporation, and Social Security System can also make administrative action by crafting and issuing new policies covering indemnity for employees who pass on or must take a leave of absence from work because of severe adverse reactions due to the Covid-19 vaccine, leading to hospital care and outpatient recovery.
“These are the faster ways to assure the Filipino people that government will be there to help them when they need help the most,” she said.
Previously, President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent House Bill No. 8648 and its counterpart bill, Senate Bill No. 2057. These bills seek to establish a vaccine indemnity fund and fast-track the procurement of vaccines.