Group pushes Congress resolution for PH Meningitis Day
Dr. Ma. Liza Antoinette Gonzales, past president of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV), tells The Manila Times on Oct. 3, 2025 why they are pushing for congressional resolution declaring October 5 as Philippine Meningitis Day.
VIDEO BY JAMES DANIO
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00:00I think as a World Pneumonia Day, that's November, we have certain days that are dedicated to certain advocacies.
00:10So as of the moment, we do not have yet this World Pneumonia Day.
00:14So that's why we're pushing for this, for greater awareness.
00:17And then your second question with regards to vaccines.
00:20Yes.
00:21So with regards to vaccines, currently, we have two vaccines that are included that can prevent meningitis.
00:32So this is your humovocal vaccine and your haemophilus influenzae vaccine or your hip vaccines.
00:38So I think at the moment, I would focus maybe to expand the coverage for both of these vaccines first.
00:50Maybe before introducing the meningitis, not to say that it is not important, but it might deviate or the attention will go to introducing these new vaccines.
01:12And we're just trying to really increase vaccine coverage and try to reduce the hesitancy towards the vaccination.
01:25So that's what we're trying to do.
01:26But there are vaccines in private practice.
01:31We offer it for those who are at risk.
01:35So we've mentioned those who are at risk.
01:37So those who have immunocompromising conditions.
01:41And certainly, we do hope that in the future, it will be included in the immunization program.
01:46Now that for PhilHealth, since maybe the allocation nga po ng budget, $60 billion, are you pushing for PhilHealth to increase yung Z-Renetic package in meningitis?
01:58Personally, I would.
02:00I would push to increase it because as we saw, meningitis is associated not only with increased hospitalization, but actually, it's the after care.
02:11Also, it's the outpatient care expenses that are important because you have to rehabilitate these patients.
02:17Meningitis causes long-term complications such as hearing impairment.
02:22Loss of vision, learning disabilities, epilepsy, seizures, and even if they lose their limbs or it's amputated, then it certainly needs to be reconstructed.
02:37So that will come out and will need a lot of expenses.
02:42May I add?
02:44Yeah, sure.
02:44Kasi, um, di ba, ang guha natin talaga is to defeat meningitis.
02:50It's not an easy, ano, eh, a goal.
02:53Because you're right po, we need to do legislation and all these things.
02:58Para mas-mas, uh, bigger scale ang tulong na mabibigay.
03:04That's why we're starting this one.
03:07We want you to, parang, inform the people.
03:10Ang pwede namin doing for now is when you push for that world meningitis day because if there's a focus, no, it's included in the focus of the diseases that, uh, invade the Philippines.
03:24Marabibigyan din siya ng better share of the, of the financial, ano, support, no.
03:31Um, and I would also like to emphasize, hindi lang naman si meningococcal disease ang nag-pocos, di ba?
03:38Na-mention na yun for major bacteria, uh, that they're actually preventable with the vaccines.
03:45So what we don't want kasi is baka, sige, let's push for this vaccine, mababawasan yung basic.
03:51Eh, mas common pa rin, kung puputaan natin ang commonalities, mas common pa rin ang streptopocos, ang H-influenza B as the causes of meningitis and other diseases.
04:03So, it's, it's not an easy step, but we need your help kasi if there's better recognition, better talk, di ba, pinag-uusapan, di ba, baka makinig na ang, ano,
04:13mas pata din na maki-introduce ng new vaccines, no?
04:17Yes, oh, kasi hindi lang nga lang meningococcal yan, may Japanese encephalitis pa na vaccine, which is quite common, it's a virus, ha?
04:23It's quite common in the Philippines, maandami tayong ano eh, kasi ang source nyan, baboy, dami yun sa simbol, let's go, eh.
04:32Di ba?
04:32Even measles, even measles, yes, yes, oo.
04:38So that's why we're pushing for increased coverage.
04:41Ang isa pa nating major problem is vaccine hesitation, residency, kasi nga, sa mga nangyari, and then we had the pandemic,
04:50kaya kailangan natin talagang i-educate ang masa na importante ang prevention, no?
04:57Bakuna lang ang laban natin dito kaysa ma-admit tayo.
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