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[av_heading heading=’Dengue vaccine investigation: ‘No need for Aquino yet’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINE GOLEZ
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MANILA – The Senate blue ribbon committee said there is no need yet to invite former president Benigno Aquino III to its investigation into the allegedly anomalous purchase of dengue vaccines worth P3.5 billion.
The Department of Health (DOH) acquired these dengue vaccines, which led to the deaths of two children, during the previous Aquino administration.
“At this point in the investigation, we have not invited president Aquino. We are not trying to judge anybody here,” said Sen. Richard Gordon, committee chair.
“We are just saying, pumapasok ang gamot na bago, dapat tama ba na ganoon ang patakaran natin. Dapat ba baguhin natin? Remember, we are here in aid of legislation. We cannot prosecute anybody here, we can only recommend but we are not even on that aspect yet,” he said.
In the next hearing, Gordon said the committee has invited medical experts and officials from the DOH and its attached agencies, the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on Audit.
The investigation, he added, aims to clarify on the Dengvaxia vaccine attributes and testing methods and results to date in the Philippines, as well as the process of procuring the product.
“It behooves us in the government to see to it that when we get this kind of medication, we get the best and we must see to it that we examine the test protocol and results and that we come out with all the due diligence required of a good father to a child,” the senator said.
At the Dec. 6 hearing, Gordon questioned the appropriation of a “huge amount of money” for the purchase of dengue vaccines toward the end of 2015.
He likewise criticized the priority given to the dengue vaccine when only 250 people per year died from the disease, which is not in the top 10 health afflictions suffered by people.
Gordon also revealed that testing for the new vaccine had not been completed yet when the government procured it./PN
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