Health experts are pushing to expand vaccination coverage against meningitis to prevent individuals from acquiring various strains of the disease.
Pediatric neurologist Jo Janette de la Calzada said that individuals, especially children, could still be affected by other strains of the virus despite being vaccinated for a specific type of meningitis.
“Kaya importante ‘yung vaccine kasi it will cover a lot of the invasive strains na in the hope na hindi talaga siya (individual) matamaan,” De la Calzada said.
“Pwede talaga, in a sense, kung ibang bacteria na naman. Ibang virus na naman ang [tumama],” she said when asked if meningitis can recur after surviving the first one.
“You’re not immune to all,” pediatric infectious disease specialist Liza Antoinette Gonzales added.
The Meningitis Progress Tracker reported that the Philippines ranked second out of 27 countries in the Asia-Pacific region for the highest number of meningitis cases in 2021.
It also revealed that the country placed 32nd out of 194 countries globally.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), nearly 40% of meningitis-related deaths occur in children under five years old worldwide.
In observance of World Meningitis Day on Sunday, October 5, health experts aimed to raise awareness about the different types of meningitis, as they require different vaccinations.
Healthcare professionals explained that meningitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
Those infected experience similar symptoms, including severe headache, seizures, stiff neck, fever, and rashes.
The experts noted that while individuals may recover from the disease, they could face complications such as seizures, epilepsy, and neurological or learning disabilities.
“That’s the problem with meningitis. Kasi you may survive it, but you can have permanent problems. And only time can tell how much you can gain,” De la Calzada stressed.
Meanwhile, the National Immunization Program only covers two types of vaccines: pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenzae vaccine.
Gonzales stressed that they prioritized expanding the vaccination rate for these since these remained more prevalent and common cases in the country.
“I would focus maybe to expand the coverage for both of these vaccines first, maybe before introducing the meningococcal vaccine,” she said.
She added that introducing new vaccines could shift attention away from the two essential ones.
Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and meningococcal disease are available in private hospitals, but they come at a higher cost. However, there have been government efforts to include these two in the public health system.
They also advocated for including meningitis vaccinations in the Z Benefit Package under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
Gonzales and de la Calzada urged the public to stay informed about the disease to reduce the risk of infection.
They emphasized that awareness would help individuals recognize symptoms early and seek treatment promptly.
“So in the long end, we really save more lives. We keep normal lives if we vaccinate,” De la Calzada said.
The Philippine Foundation for Vaccination and GSK Philippines, alongside the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, led the call to action in combating meningitis in the country.