Former DOH Secretary Janette Garin moments before the Senators open the investigation on the P3.5 billion anti-dengue immunization program. (INQUIRER.net / PATHRICIA ANN V. ROXAS)
Former Health Secretary Janette Garin has stood her ground and denied that there was corruption and negligence involved in the P3.5 billion anti-dengue immunization program implemented under her watch in 2016.
“This was a decision of the Department of Health (DOH) as an institution,” Garin told reporters on Monday, minutes before the scheduled joint hearing of the Senate blue ribbon, and health committees on the Dengvaxia controversy.
“Wala po itong korapsyon, walang midnight deal at walang pagmamadali dahil matagal na itong pinag-uusapan at pinlano. Hindi lang Pilipinas ang gumawa nito,” she added.
The DOH, under current Secretary Francisco Duque, stopped the anti-dengue immunization program days after its manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, revealed that the vaccine could pose serious health risks to those who received it despite not being previously infected by dengue.
Garin also appealed to the public to wait for the assessment and opinion of health experts before judging the issue.
“Iang beses po namin ‘yan tinanong (dati) sa WHO (World Health Organization) Geneva ang sinabi nila hindi ito delikado sa hindi pa nagkaka-dengue,” Garin said.
“When a vaccine or drug is licensed ibig sabihin it is safe,” she said. “Hintayin natin ang sasabihin ng mga eksperto from WHO Geneva dahil baka pinangungunahan natin.”
“We decided based on the data that we have at the time,” she added.
Garin entertained questions from reporters before the hearing started because she may not have time to answer questions later as she was scheduled to undergo a “medical operation” after the hearing. /kga