Parents have been urged to have their children vaccinated against hepatitis B to stave off a possible surge of liver cancer in the future years.
Former Health secretary, now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, made the call on Thursday amid reports of an increasing number of deaths related to viral hepatitis, having an average of 3,500 daily in 2022.
Data from the World Health Organization recently showed that the deaths from viral hepatitis climbed from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022.
Hepatitis B accounted for 83 percent, while hepatitis C made up the 17 percent.
"When infected with hepatitis B and not vaccinated, approximately 30 percent can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma, a deadly type of liver cancer," Garin said.
Earlier this month, Garin told the media that the vaccination rate in the Philippines drastically dropped due to the public's hesitancy, making it impossible to eradicate infectious diseases, including hepatitis B, diphtheria, and pertussis, currently spreading into the country.
The ex-DoH chief warned that children who fail to get vaccinated against hepatitis B have a high chance of getting hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer 20 years from now.
"When 2042 to 2045 comes, it is possible that there will be many liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma in the Philippines due to unvaccinated children against hepa," Garin said.
According to the WHO, the number of deaths owing to hepatitis, the second leading infectious globally, has the same as tuberculosis, which is a top infectious killer.
The WHO said that the Philippines was among the ten countries that shoulder nearly two-thirds of the "global burden" of hepatitis B and C, aside from Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, and Vietnam.
Hepatitis B is a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver, which can cause cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
This deadly disease could be prevented by getting inoculated with the hepatitis B vaccine, which covers all age groups, including infants, children, or adolescents younger than 19 years of age who have not been vaccinated.
Garin called on parents to safeguard their children by taking advantage of the vaccine-preventable diseases made available by the government.
Back in March, the DoH announced that it expects around three million pentavalent vaccine doses to arrive "the soonest possible time."
The pentavalent vaccines protect against pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, and hemophilus influenza type B.
