The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) allowed the procurement of Human Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARVs) not prequalified by the World Health Organizations (WHO).
This recommendation stemmed from the announcement of DOH-7 their supplies of WHO-prequalified ARVs have all been used up.
DOH-7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas said that there were only two WHO-prequalified ARVs, Rabipur and Verorab.
Due to several technical findings, the procurement of Rabipur is at a standstill while the increasing number of animal and canine bite cases has disrupted the available supply of Verorab.
As of 2017 data, DOH-7 recorded 92,769 cases of animal and canine bites and 21 human rabies cases.
Bernadas, however, clarified that only those non-WHO prequalified ARVs but approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may be purchased and used by local government units (LGUs) and animal bite treatment centers.