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[av_heading heading=’Angry mothers confront Garin; ex-DOH chief hits ‘mob mentality’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” 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=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ and ADRIAN STEWART CO
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February 7, 2018
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MANILA – Under fire for the Dengvaxia dengue vaccine fiasco, former Health secretary Janette Garin appealed for sobriety and urged the public to “listen to the experts.”
A group of angry mothers of children vaccinated with Dengvaxia confronted Garin after an inquiry on Dengvaxia at the House of Representatives on Monday.
The former congresswoman believed the mob was “staged” and the mothers were used by people promoting “mob mentality.”
“It’s with a heavy heart that I see some victims again being victimized by groups,” she told reporters yesterday. “Kasi kitang-kita naman natin doon na masyadong staged, nagkakasakitan ang mga tao.”
“It’s something I don’t expect to be happening in the Philippines: that there are people (goading) others to go into mob mentality,” she added.
Garin was an Iloilo 1st District representative before she was appointed Health secretary under the Benigno Aquino III administration.
During her term, the Health department purchased Dengvaxia and launched the world’s first public mass dengue immunization – inoculating around 830,000 public school children 9 years old and above in three highly endemic regions with at least the first of three doses.
But the department suspended the program last year after manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur announced that Dengvaxia could cause more severe symptoms on those who have not been infected by the dengue virus.
“Nangyayari ito because of all the hysteria and the panic that’s being created,” Garin said as she advised parents whose children received the dengue vaccine to “go to your doctor.”
A government panel was investigating the dengue vaccine’s alleged role in the deaths of at least 14 children.
“Nananawagan po tayo sa patuloy na gustong mag-create ng hysteria and panic, huwag naman po sana…Hindi na tuloy napapakinggan ng mga nanay kung ano ba ang dapat gawin,” she said.
False claims on Dengvaxia could “sabotage” public health programs, she warned.
“In one to two years, if we will have outbreaks, ang sinasabotahe public health na, and I don’t think that’s healthy for the country,” said Garin.
The Health department acknowledged that the Dengvaxia controversy was taking a toll on government programs against preventable diseases, with many parents refusing to get their children immunized.
Immunization rates for polio, chicken pox, tetanus, and other diseases were significantly down from previous years since the government suspended the sale and distribution of Dengvaxia, Undersecretary Enrique Domingo had said.
Garin believed she would be vindicated. “Noong sinabi nga sa akin na may kaso nang finayl sa akin…it’s better to bring it to court because in the court it will be discussed thoroughly.”
The Public Attorney’s Office filed on Monday a P4.2-million civil suit against Garin and Sanofi Pasteur and its distributor Zuellig Pharma.
While she was ready to face any charge in connection with the Dengavaxia controversy, Garin insisted that her “conscience is clear.”
“The desire to be with the Department of Health, to be with the medical society in saving lives, was our primary consideration because vaccines still saves lives and dengue has no cure,” she said.
She added: “I’m really looking forward to facing all of these charges in court because I am sure that, at the end of the day, I will be vindicated, the DOH officials will be vindicated, because we did something that will actually save 90 percent of Filipino children.”/PN
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