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WE HAVE to ask this question: Why was the mass dengue vaccination program allowed to push through in April 2016 despite a report from the World Health Organization in July 2016 that said the Dengvaxia vaccine may be ineffective or theoretically increase the risk for severe dengue illness among those who are seronegative at the first time of vaccination regardless of age?
How government officials from the previous Aquino administration allowed the purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine and facilitated the mass vaccination of over 730,000 schoolchildren must be investigated thoroughly. Taxpayers’ money amounting to P3.5 billion was used to buy the vaccine that health experts warn could worsen those inoculated but did not previously have exposure to the dengue virus.
Worse, while the vaccination program started during the Aquino administration, this was continued by the succeeding government until Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur announced only recently the bad news.
The government and Sanofi should exhaust all resources to educate the public on what to watch out for. The lives and health of those who were injected (public elementary school children) should be monitored and accorded healthcare.
But we can’t help but wonder over the previous administration’s overzealousness in closing the multibillion-peso deal with French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi despite the risks made known publicly by health advocates prior to the mass vaccination. That’s the beef of Sen. Richard Gordon yesterday during the Senate hearing on this Dengvaxia mess. The total amount for Dengvaxia was even almost equal to the entire vaccination program of the Department of Health in 2016. Thus, we cannot blame people if they raise suspicions on the possibility of some national officials profiteering from the transaction.
Complete accountability must be pursued on Sanofi and all current and former government officials involved in the planning and implementation of this dengue vaccination program.
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