Dengvaxia Mishap: Result of corporate greed and corruption

Dengvaxia Mishap: Result of corporate greed and corruption

(Statement of Health Alliance for Democracy)

The Aquino government and the Department of Health maneuvered a P3.5 billion budget for a vaccine that now put 700,000 Filipino children at greater health risk. The decision of the authorities to procure , approve its commercial release and implement the mass vaccination using Dengvaxia, all in haste, was based on political consideration, and not on a sound science. Health groups and local experts have adamantly questioned all these beforehand but have fallen into deaf ears.

The first dose was given to children aged 9 years on April 2016, and the second dose was given on October. While initially placing reservation on the immunization , further expansion of the program was eventually pushed during the time of former DOH Sec. Jean Paulyn Ubial.

A year after implementation, clinical trial results reveal that Dengvaxia causes severe dengue fever on vaccinated children not previously infected by the disease. The general notion that vaccines are meant to protect a person from infection has been marred with this withheld information that there is greater health risk for a certain segment of the target population those who had no known dengue infection.

And now that it is out, Sanofi tries to console the public that anyway around 80-90% of us may already have dengue and we just didnt know it! And now, it’s everybody’s guessing game for the thousands of Filipino children were systematically put in harm’s way.

While holding Aquino, Garin, Sanofi, WHO and DOH accountable for such deception is imperative, the first order for the current DOH is to address the fears such mishap has unleashed.

How should the vaccinated children be protected from now on? What measures will be done to monitor those at risk and provide them with the means of proper health care to mitigate the risks? What measures will be done that the outburst of the angry parents will not be absorbed solely on the already overworked and overburdened frontline health workers who just implemented the order?

To the parents and children: Do not panic! Ok lang magalit and ask for explanations! Monitor the health advisories, consult accordingly exercise your right to information and health care. The people and institutions involved must be held accountable.