[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Dengue vaccine mess: Garin says she’s ready to face consequences’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ 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]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – Was it right to order P3.5-billion worth of dengue vaccines and inoculate 733,000 children with it?
Was it right to procure the vaccines even if it had only been manufactured four months prior, and even if manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur already gave a warning to government officials?
These are questions former Health secretary Janette Garin has to answer now that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered an investigation into the government’s dengue vaccination program that allegedly put at risk the health of children.
In a statement yesterday, Garin said she was “ready to face the consequences.”
The Senate’s Blue Ribbon and Health committees are also girding for a parallel investigation.
“I welcome the investigation that will be conducted by the DOJ and Senate. I will answer all questions at the right time and in the appropriate forum,” according to Garin.
Garin is doctor by profession. She became a congresswoman representing Iloilo province’ s 1st District prior to becoming the Department of Health (DOH) secretary under the Aquino administration.
“In the event that there will be authorities who will point culpability to me, I am ready to face the consequences,” according to Garin.
Though the Dengvaxia vaccine works as expected in people already exposed to the dengue virus, Sanofi admitted last week that in those who haven’t, the vaccination is linked to an elevated risk of severe disease developing from a subsequent dengue infection.
DOH on Friday right away stopped its mass dengue vaccination program that targeted public elementary school pupils at least nine years old.
“I will also await clarity from DOH and WHO (World Health Organization) as they are the authorities on this,” according to Garin.
She asserted that the dengue vaccination program plan “started even before my time.”
“We implemented it in accordance with WHO guidance and recommendations. Even before the official release of the SAGE [WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization], there were ongoing meetings and consultations between experts, WHO and DOH technical officials,” she added.
Sanofi’s disclose angered parents fearful of what would happen to their children vaccinated with Dengvaxia.
But according to Garin, “We fully cooperated and consulted with WHO prior to the implementation of this program. With the desire to resolve this deadly virus, the Department started the vaccination program which has until now been seen to be strongly beneficial to nine out of 10 Filipinos.”
Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II tasked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday to lead the probe.
The dengue vaccination program began in April 2016.
Dengvaxia, approved for use in individuals from nine to 45 years of age, is the first vaccine in the world licensed for the prevention of dengue. It is manufactured in a dedicated Sanofi production site in France.
In December 2015 Dengvaxia was licensed for use in the Philippines by the Food and Drug Administration.
DOH, then headed by Garin, bought from Sanofi P3.5-billion worth of Dengvaxia and started a public dengue immunization program initially carried out in three highly endemic regions (Regions 3 and 4-A and National Capital Region).
Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute viral infection that affects infants, young children and adults. It is transmitted by day-biting mosquitoes that live and breed in clear, stagnant water./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
