DOH eyes purchase of vaccines vs monkeypox

FILE PHOTO: Test tubes labelled “Monkeypox virus positive and negative” are seen in this illustration taken May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it was looking to purchase more jabs and antiviral drugs, this time for the monkeypox disease that has spread even to countries where it is not endemic.

The DOH pointed out that monkeypox vaccination was not yet included in the government’s national immunization program.

But it would acquire such treatment and prevention for the zoonotic viral disease once an outbreak happens or severe infections are reported in the country.

“The DOH is exploring all possible available sources and expedient legal methods for the procurement of monkeypox vaccines,” it said in a statement, adding that the monkeypox vaccine was not yet widely available.

The DOH said it was also studying the possible purchase of antiviral medication for the treatment of monkeypox.

According to the World Health Organization, vaccines are being developed for monkeypox, but only one has been approved so far.

Meanwhile, an antiviral medication called tecovirimat was recently green-lighted by the European Medicines Agency for monkeypox.

READ: Canada reports 10 new cases of monkeypox, including the first in Ontario