Dengue meds free only to 4th graders

FOR NOW, the cost of the dengue vaccine will have to be shouldered by those who want protection against the mosquito-borne disease, except for Grade 4 public school pupils previously identified by the government.

Health Secretary Janette Garin said the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. was not yet considering providing dengue vaccine coverage to the more than 89 million Filipinos enrolled in (PhilHealth) mainly because of the hefty price tag.

Garin pointed out that a dose of the vaccine costs about P4,500 or P5,000—more than twice the amount in annual premiums charged by the state insurance firm.

The dengue vaccine, recently launched in the Philippines by French pharmaceutical Sanofi, requires three doses.

PhilHealth charges P2,400 as annual premium to members but shoulders the contributions of some five million senior citizens and 45.4 million indigents.

“Since we need three doses, it would mean P12,000 to P15,000 per individual and because the vaccine is (recommended) for people 9 to 45 years old, almost everyone in the family can avail of it,” Garin told reporters.

“PhilHealth is looking at the point that it may not be that financially feasible for them. [In considering coverage of the vaccine], we have to look at its sustainability,” Garin said.

3 regions

Two weeks ago, Sanofi launched in the country the world’s first vaccine against the dengue fever, Dengvaxia, making it available in the private market.

But Garin reiterated that the health agency would push through giving the vaccine for free this year to more than one million nine-year-old students in public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon—the three regions that registered the highest dengue incidence last year.

Giving the vaccine to the target beneficiaries would help curb the spread of the infection in these areas, according to the DOH said.

But Garin said the vaccine was not the only way to stop the proliferation of dengue. She said the public should continue to achieve cleanliness in their homes and community to eliminate mosquito-breeding sites.

“We are not saying that if we vaccinate the children we will ultimately solve the problem… The solution is still removing all possible mosquito-breeding sites,” she said.

PhilHealth board members Dr. Anthony Leachon and Karen Villanueva said the state insurance firm’s benefits committee would sit down soon to discuss the problem.

“We will also study cost-effectiveness,” said Leachon.