Garin to Duterte Admin: Listen to real experts; make dengue vaccines available

Dengue season is upon the country again, so much so that the Department of Health (DOH) has declared a “national dengue alert” for the nation to be aware of the mosquito borne disease.

Former Health Secretary Janette Garin has called out the Duterte administration should “listen to real experts” and make vaccines available in light of the “national dengue alert” raised all over the country.

Current DOH Secretary Francisco Duque declared III declared a “national dengue alert” as 106,630 dengue cases have been reported nationwide from January 1 to June 29, 2019. This is an 85 percent increase from the 57,564 cases reported over the same period in 2018.

Former DOH Sec. Janet Garin
(photo credit to owner)

Garin, was recently elected as a congresswoman of the first district of Iloilo, she was the DOH Secretary under the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, and is one of those implicated in the P3.5 billion Dengvaxia controversy.

Garin, who is also a doctor by profession said the increase in the dengue cases was “expected” and could have been reduced by the vaccine similar to what has happened in Brazil, blaming anyone now would be a useless exercise.

“Nandyan na ‘yan. Useless to blame fake public health news. Now is the time for DOH to listen to real experts, follow international guidelines and make essential medicines, vaccines included to those who need it,” the House senior deputy minority leader said in a statement.

These outbreaks have been expected as the World health Organization (WHO) has declared dengue as a disease of pandemic potential, classified as a public health emergency, Garin explains.

The lawmaker also explained that in immunization, “all doses initiated should be continued until the third dose to ensure benefit to the public” even if the program was stopped.

Dengvaxia manufactured by Sanofi was the vaccine of choice of the Aquino administration when a mass anti-dengue vaccination program was rolled out last April of 2016.

However in November of 2017, Sanofi released a statement wherein it explains that the results of their long study showed Dengvaxia could cause an increased risk to those who are seronegative or not yet infected with dengue. The program was then halted by Sec. Duque.

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Report from PDI