(Eagle News) — The House appropriations committee on Tuesday, May 22, approved a bill that aims to allocate P1.161 billion for the children administered the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine.
Out of the P1.16 billion, 81 percent or P945 million would be used for the medical assistance program; 13 percent or P148 million would be allotted for public health management, including the assessment and monitoring of vaccinees and their supplies and medicines; and six percent or P67 million for human resource for health deployment.
The P1.16 billion would come partially from the refund given by Sanofi Pasteur, the manufacturer of Dengvaxia, to the Philippine government.
The refund was for the government’s purchased vials of Dengvaxia but that were left unused in the end.
Around 900,000 schoolchildren were administered Dengvaxia under the government’s vaccination program that was kick-started during former President Benigno Aquino III’s term.