The Department of Health (DOH) slammed the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) for linking the death of a doctor in Quezon City to the use of the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine without an autopsy.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Wednesday questioned the PAO’s basis for concluding that the death of Dr. Kendrick Gotoc was related to Dengvaxia use.
Gotoc died on Sunday in a hospital in Quezon City. He reportedly received three shots of the anti-dengue vaccine two years ago.
“Hindi ko alam kung anong basis nila, bakit nila sinasabi na Dengvaxia ang nag cause noong death. Bakit, mayroong autopsy na bang ginawa? Meron na bang kompletong pagsusuri na ginawa? Wala pa naman,” Duque said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.
Duque urged the PAO to fully wait for the results of the blood serum examination of Gotoc before making any conclusions.
“Antayin natin yung kumpletong profile noong patient kasi kinunan daw ng blood serum examination ito,” Duque said.
“So alamin natin kung anong resulta nun, at complete pa kasi pa-chip-chip pa yung pag pasok ng impormasyon eh,” he added.
According to PAO, Gotoc showed symptoms such as weight loss, stomach pain, headache, loss of appetite, and skin rashes before he died on Sunday. /muf