(Eagle News) — At least two senators hailed the Senate’s approval of the P1.16-billion supplemental budget for dengue patients, including Dengvaxia recipients.
According to Senator Richard Gordon, the passage of House Bill No. 7449 (Committee Report No. 395) will “help in ease the burden” not only of those who were administered the controversial vaccine, but also those of their parents.
“Maraming mga magulang ang lumapit sa akin at nagdulog ng hinaing nila. Natatakot na nga sila dahil sa mga maaring mangyari sa mga anak nila dahil sa pagkakaineksyon, lalo pa silang nababalisa dahil wala silang pantustos sa mga magiging gastusin,” he said.
Senator Loren Legarda, who sponsored the measure, for her part, noted that the Senate version “widened the scope of the medical assistance program, in terms of beneficiaries as well as covered areas.”
She said the measure aims to provide medical assistance for hospitalization and out-patient care services to all dengue patients.
“The health of our people deserves to be on top of government priorities. We need to ensure that dengue patients are helped, processing is fast, monitoring is accurate and, hopefully, prevent further deaths and illnesses of those administered with the vaccine,” Legarda said.
Eighteen senators voted for the passage of the supplemental budget on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Under the measure, the funds for the budget would come from the refunds received from Zuellig Pharma, the local distributor of the Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur, for the unused vials of the controversial vaccine.
