Former DOH Sec. Garin slams PAO for being giving statements linking some deaths to the Dengvaxia vaccine

Former Health Secretary Janette Garin slams the Public Attorney's Office.

Janette Garin who was appointed by former President Benigno Aquino III was at the helm of the DOH when this controversial  anti-dengue “Dengvaxia” vaccine was rolled to almost 830,000 public school students.

She claims that the  Public Attorney's Office (PAO) has been has acted irresponsibly in giving statement publicly l linking some children's deaths to the Dengvaxia vaccine.  *



Former Health Secretary Janette Garin (photo credit to owner)

 

Garin, claims that there are doctors who are now finding hard to manage their patients because of parents who insist that the illness is connected to Dengvaxia.

"These irresponsible statements are now hurting the Filipino families. It’s creating a huge gap between doctors and the patients...If you look at the visuals and you’re not a doctor, it’s highly irresponsible," Garin said in a TV interview.

The issue started when Dr. Erwin Erfe, a director of PAO’s forensic laboratory claims that there ia a “pattern” that led to the deaths of at least 5 children who were able to receive Dengvaxia vaccine  made by drug maker- Sanofi Pasteur.

However, local health experts came with another declaration saying there is no evidence directly linking the vaccine to any of the 14 alleged deaths investigated by the Philippine General Hospital.

PAO Chief Persida Acosta in a separate interview clarifying her Office’s stand- that they released their findings not to cause panic among people, but to spur awareness among parents and urge them to immediately seek medical help if they monitor critical symptoms of dengue in their children.

"Ito po ay awareness para po kung yung mga anak niyo na may sintomas na, ng critical signs of dengue severe or severe illnesses dahil sila ay hindi pa na dengue nung maturukan, 'wag na pong magpaligoy ligoy ang mga magulang, dalhin sa mga ospital," Acosta said. *

The former Health Secretary also slammed Dr. Erwin Erfe, director of PAO's forensic laboratory, for conducting autopsies on the individuals whose deaths are allegedly linked to Dengvaxia.

"When you examine the causality of vaccine and an illness or a death, it involves a lot factors, involves a whole team. You cannot give a conclusion overnight," she said.

"Without casting aspersion on the personal opinion of Dr. Erfe, this calls for a level or a set of competency and the basic qualification is you have to be a pathologist. He’s not a pathologist as I was informed," she said.

Garin also gave a warning that with Erfe's statements made public, "he might create a bigger and better defense for Sanofi Pasteur."

"It will be easy for their lawyers to rebut the government—PAO is with the government. If PAO and Dr. Erfe have been coming out several times, saying this is the cause, all they have to do is point out the process, the method, the qualification, the expertise of the persons involved, announcing these things," Garin said.

Report from ABS CBN