FILE PHOTO: Former President Benigno Aquino III

MANILA, Philippines – Former government officials maintained no wrongdoings in relation to the Dengvaxia anomaly.

During the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice Monday, June 4, former President Benigno Aquino III. former Health Secretary Janette Garin and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad personally submitted their counter affidavits on the controversial P3.5 billion pesos worth of Dengvaxia immunization program.

Aquino, Garin, and Abad are facing complaints filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution (VPC.)

Aquino stressed there were no categorical findings directly linking Dengvaxia as the cause of death of some vaccinees.

‘Iyong mga may threat supposed to be ng mga may severe dengue, is anywhere from 0.2-10 percent, so iyong proteksyon for the 90 (percent) and more, should be avoided,” explained Aquino.

He also addressed the issue on the questionable procurement of the said vaccines which allegedly coincided with the election ban in 2016.

“Kapag dumating iyong election campaign, election ban which was March 26 to May 9. Anyway…Siguro Iyong last na action na sinasabi natin na kaugnay sa..Siguro iyong pag-execute ng disbursement order which happened March 9. So March 9 and March 26.Medyo magkalayo,” he argued.

Garin, meanwhile, emphasized that the confirmation of the deaths of children who were autopsied failed to follow the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines.

“Sa pag-determine ng causality kung ito ba ay namatay sa bakuna o hindi—may proseso na sinusunod ang WHO hindi po ine-exhume o ino-autopsy ang pasyente,” Garin said.

The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), which conducted the autopsies, lashed out at Garin

“WHO rin ang basis naming sa determination ng cause of death. May WHO materials din ang PAO,” Acosta defended.

The next hearing will be on June 22. – Mai Bermudez

Tags: Benigno Aquino III, dengvaxia, Florencio Abad, Janette Garin

Public Attorney’s Office Chief Atty. Persida Acosta

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) resumed Thursday, May 24, its preliminary investigation on the Dengvaxia controversy.

During the hearing, the Public Attorney’s Office submitted a document which it claimed is evidence of Sanofi Pasteur’s admission to then Health Secretary Janet Garin of the dangers of Dengvaxia vaccine.

However, PAO Chief Persida Acosta argued that despite the pharmaceutical companies’ warning of the risks of Dengvaxia, the Department of Health (DOH,) under the command of Garin, still proceeded with the Dengvaxia mass immunization program.

Acosta serves as the legal counsel of the nine families of children who died after receiving Dengvaxia shots.

Meanwhile, respondents Garin and current Health Secretary Francisco Duque III were absent in today’s probe. Garin and Duque are facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide; torture resulting in the death of any person; torture committed against children and violation of R.A 9745 of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009.

The respondents are expected to submit their respective counter-affidavits on June 25, 2018. – Aiko Miguel / Marje Pelayo

Tags: dengvaxia, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Justice (DOJ)

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The House Committee on Appropriations Tuesday, May 22, approved the P1.16B supplemental budget requested by the Health Department for almost 800,000 Dengvaxia recipients.

The proposed supplemental budget will be sourced from the amount refunded by the Philippine government from Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur.

Nine hundred forty-five million pesos (P945-M) is for the medical assistance program for admitted patients in hospitals and outpatients including assistance for the family of 87 deaths reported by DOH.

Meanwhile, P78 million will be allotted for the assessment and monitoring of Dengvaxia vaccinees; P70 million  for supplies and medicines; and P67 million for deployment of health workers who will do the monitoring of vaccinated children.

The Health Department plans to hire more than 1,000 nurses to be deployed in Regions 3, 4a, 7 and the National Capital Region (NCR) to get in touch with the parents of Dengvaxia recipients.

Also, Task Force and hotline numbers 711 1001 and 711 1002 were activated to assist the vaccinees.

“Kung itong naturukan ng Dengvaxia na bata ay nagkasakit, kahit ano pang sakit iyan, kahit na arguably related to Dengvaxia or what, basta nagkasakit, naospital, tutulungan natin,“ said Congressman Karlo Nograles, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

(If a Dengvaxia vaccinee gets sick, regardless of the illness, assistance will be provided.)

“Our projections will include all illnesses…any sickness, from mild to catastrophic, will be covered,” added Health Undersecretary Rolando Dominguez. — Grace Casin | UNTV News & Rescue

Tags: dengvaxia, Dengvaxia vaccinees, House Committee on Appropriations, supplemental budget