Vaccination in the Philippines: experiences from history and lessons for the future

ABSTRACT

In anticipation of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, vaccine uptake may be critical in overcoming the pandemic, especially in countries like the Philippines, which has among the highest rates of infection in the region. Looking at the progress of vaccination in the country – its promises, pitfalls, and challenges – may provide insight for public health professionals and the public. The history of vaccination in the Philippines is marked by strong achievements, such as the establishment and growth of a national programme for immunization, and importantly, the eradication of poliomyelitis and maternal and neonatal tetanus. It is also marred by critical challenges which provide a springboard for improvement across all sectors – vaccine stock-outs,

strong opposition from certain advocacy groups, and the widely publicized Dengvaxia controversy. Moving forward, with recent surveys having shown that vaccine confidence has begun to improve, these experiences may inform the approaches taken to address vaccine uptake. These lessons from the past highlight the importance of a strong partnership between health leaders and the local community, bearing in mind cultural appropriateness and humility; the engagement of multidisciplinary stakeholders; and the importance of foresight in preparing public health infrastructure for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine.

KEYWORDS:

• Vaccination
• vaccine adherence
• Philippines
• COVID-19
• public health

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Notes

1. The Department of Health of the Philippines had adopted a “Reaching Every Barangay” strategy from the “Reaching Every District” strategy of the WHO-UNICEF in 2004, which included data analysis, outreach services, and strengthening links between the community and service providers.

2. BCG – % infants who received one dose of the Bacillus Calmette Guerin vaccine at birth; DTP1/DTP3 – % infants who received the 3^rd dose of either oral or inactivated polio-containing vaccine; HepB3 – % infants who received the 3^rd dose of Hepatitis B-containing vaccine following the birth dose; MCV1 – % infants who received the 1^st dose of measles-containing vaccine; Pol3.

3. Basic vaccinations include one dose of BCG vaccine, three doses of DPT-containing vaccine, three doses of polio vaccine (IPV or OPV), and one dose of measles-containing vaccine (measles or MMR).

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for this work.