Pharma experts: Routine vaccinations protect infants

As vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) rise in the countries in the East Asia and Pacific, including the Philippines, health experts underscored how routine vaccinations protect mothers and their infants.

During the event "Pag Healthy si Mommy, Protektado si Baby," Teodoro Padilla, executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), stressed the urgent need for collaboration across multiple sectors to protect mothers and infants from VPDs.

Padilla pushed the need for inmaternal health, where stakeholders "invest in the potential of future generations."

 However, despite progress, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported 1,868 maternal deaths and over 21,000 infant deaths, highlighting persistent challenges that could be prevented with access to quality prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum care.

“Expectant mothers experience immune changes that increase their risk of severe flu and other respiratory infections,” Dr. Martha Millar-Aquino, President of the Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, added.

Millar-Aquino stressed the importance of Tdap and flu vaccines during pregnancy, which help mothers develop antibodies passed to their babies, protecting infants during their first months.

Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

To address these urgent gaps, proposed legislation such as Senate Bill No. 1416, or An Act Safeguarding the Health of Filipino Mothers at the Time of Their Childbirth, was filed in 2022 and is currently being deliberated for approval in Congress.

At the local level, Dr. Josephine Parreñas, Provincial Health Officer I of Davao del Norte, noted consistent progress in reducing maternal deaths. The province's maternal mortality ratio dropped from 70.1 per 100,000 live births in 2020 to 58.3 in 2022.

This improvement stems from Quarterly Maternal Death Reviews that identify healthcare gaps, the Provincial Buntis Congress offering health education and services, and a strong referral system linking barangay health stations to hospitals, supported by ongoing capacity-building for health workers.

Meanwhile, in Makati, Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Johanne Florence C. Legaspi highlighted comprehensive maternal care through the Makati Health Plus and Baby Makatizen programs, offering free micronutrients, lab tests, ancillary procedures, and hospitalization.

A referral system with Makati Medical Center and local production of Tdap and flu vaccines ensure seamless care, Legaspi explained.

“We promise to continue investing, expanding access, improving service delivery, and fostering private-sector collaboration in support of our shared vision with the Department of Health," she added.

In support of strengthening maternal care systems, Dr. Eric Tayag, former Department of Health Undersecretary and past Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PVF) president, emphasized the importance of routinely including vaccination in patient charts.

“It’s not just the vital signs, chief complaint, and findings we should record, but also vaccination-related concerns—like missed doses, hesitancy, and what actions healthcare professionals can take so that they can be provided access when vaccines are available," Tayag said.    

The event was organized by the Philippine Medical Association, PHAP, and the PVF.

It is aligned with the Department of Health’s Safe Motherhood Program and the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to reduce global maternal mortality to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.