Health experts on Tuesday urged the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track flue vaccine procurement amid the rising influenza-like illness (ILI) cases and mpox threat.

Latest data from the DOH revealed that there were 114,127 ILI cases from 1 January to 12 August -- a 52 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Dr. Lulu Bravo, vaccine expert and executive director of the Philippine Foundation on Vaccine, called on the DOH to protect the elderly through the vaccine rollout.

"Our seniors cannot afford to be left exposed and vulnerable," Bravo lamented, noting that 67.1 percent of influenza-associated mortality in the country occurs annually in adults 60 years and above.

"Every day that passes without these vaccines puts them at greater risk, especially with the ongoing rainy season and the threat of mpox. Their health and well-being should be our top priority," she added.

Meanwhile, Roderick Alapar, lead convenor of the grassroots organization Bayan Bakuna, intensified the call for immediate action, demanding that legislators in both Congress and the Senate take resolute action to protect the seniors.

"The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 mandates the protection of our elderly, and it’s imperative that they receive the flu vaccines they are entitled to," Alapar said.

"We cannot stand by and allow our seniors to suffer the severe consequences of a vaccine-preventable illness like influenza—especially during such a critical time," he added.

Bravo and Alapar stressed the need to accelerate the procurement of flu vaccines during this high-risk period, noting that stressed influenza can worsen symptoms of other chronic diseases, and severe cases can lead to pneumonia, stroke, and heart attack.