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[av_heading heading=’Dengvaxia gives vaccines a bad name – health exec’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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ILOILO – The controversy on the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia and the government’s dengue immunization program adversely affected how the public perceives vaccination, according to a health official.
The issue has sown fear, particularly among parents of schoolchildren, said Dr. Reynilyn Reyes, point person for the national immunization program in the Department of Health Region 6.
Reyes appealed to the public not to lose trust in all of the immunization initiatives of the government.
She also encouraged the parents to still submit their children to immunization in either health centers or schools.
“We have other vaccines proven to be safe and effective,” Reyes said, citing immunizations for polio, measles, tetanus, diphtheria, and tuberculosis.
Dengvaxia had not been administered in schoolchildren in Western Visayas, she stressed.
The Health department is working to educate the public that not all vaccines administered via the national immunization program pose health risks, said Reyes.
“Let us not generalize the Dengvaxia issue,” said the health official. “Not all vaccines are similar to [the] anti-dengue [vaccine].”
Dengvaxia was administered to more than 800,000 children in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon when the Health department launched the dengue immunization program last year.
But earlier this month the department suspended the program after vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur warned that the vaccine may lead to a severe case of dengue when administered to those who have not been infected by the virus.
News reports on communications within the Health department during the term of Janette Garin as secretary indicated that expert advice against the massive rollout of the vaccine had been ignored.
The Health department’s regional office said they will help monitor children who have been administered with Dengvaxia. (With a report from Philippine News Agency/PN)
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