Former health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin urged the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday to allow the use of any available dengue vaccine other than the controversial Dengvaxia to combat the spread of dengue. “The continued and unjust blocking of the current available vaccine even to the private sector, despite it being listed in the essential medicines list, is only delaying health services, which translates to deaths and serious morbidities,” Garin said.
She was referring to the controversial Dengvaxia, whose use has been discontinued due to the deaths of several school children months allegedly after they were inoculated with the vaccine.
No concrete evidence has been found linking the deaths directly to the vaccine developed by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
The Aquino administration, which Garin served as health secretary, launched a massive program to vaccinate up to one million children in public schools with Dengvaxia.
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