Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Atty. Persida Acosta called on the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday to declare the rising number of victims of the Dengvaxia vaccine as a health emergency.
“Parang naging si Noah tayo, nagsabing may baha, ayaw tayong paniwalaan. January pa tayo nananawagan ng declaration ng health emergency sa na-Dengvaxia,” the PAO chief said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer.
(We’ve become like Noah, saying that there’s a flood but people won’t believe it. Since January, we’ve been asking for a declaration of health emergency over the victims of Dengvaxia.)
Acosta said that instead of assisting victims of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine, DOH has only been preparing for their deaths, saying that parents have reported to have been provided P50,000 worth of subsidy and a waiver saying the deaths of their children are not related to Dengvaxia.
“Ang inihahanda ng DOH ay ‘yung sa patay, ‘yung sa singkwenta mil na financial assistance, may waiver daw […] ‘Yan po ang sumbong ng mga magulang, may mga pinapipirma.” she said.
(The DOH has been preparing for the death, the P50,000 financial assistance, there’s a waiver […] That’s the complaint of many parents, there are waivers asked to be signed.)
Acosta also pointed out that aside from the health department’s financial aid and waiver, DOH has also assigned experts to examine the side effects of the anti-dengue vaccine as well as an autopsy team which, she said, is the job of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“’Di naman nagau-autopsy talaga ‘yan dahil SOCO, NBI ang nagau-autopsy ‘pag may krimen. Tatlong experts na pinag-aaralan pa daw ‘yung side effects eh idineklara na ng Sanofi sa FDA (Food and Drugs Authority) nung December 22, 2015 ‘yung mga side effects,” she added.
(They’re not tasked to conduct an autopsy; only SOCO and NBI are tasked to do an autopsy whenever there’s a crime. Three experts have been studying the side effects, but Sanofi has already declared to FDA the side effects on December 22, 2015.)
Nearly three years since the Philippines became the first Asian country to approve an anti-dengue vaccine manufactured by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, there have been 71 deaths which are allegedly related to the controversial vaccine. Syrah Vivien Inocencio, INQUIRER.net intern/je
READ: PAO blames Dengvaxia anew in death of 71st kid