Gov’t hit for ‘lack of support’ for families affected by Dengvaxia

Felicitas Sombrado, 53 years old, a parent whose child received the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine expresses frustration to former Health Secretary Janette Garin, who had just went up the elevator, as security guards restrain her at the lobby of Congress after the hearing on Dengvaxia on Monday, February 5, 2018. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

A women’s rights group denounced on Wednesday the government’s lack of support for families adversely affected by the controversial anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine.

Cora Agovida, Gabriela Metro Manila spokesperson, said the families whose children were administered with Dengvaxia received no assistance from the government. She said even after two months, the affected families were still the ones paying for their medical expenses.

“The information we gathered from our almost two months of conducting our Dengvaxia Watch campaign and hotlines clearly showed that it’s still the parents of the vaccinated children who pays for the check-up, laboratory tests and medications,” Agovida said in a statement.

“These expenses are added burden and trauma that they have to endure,” she added.

Agovida also called on President Rodrigo Duterte and former president Benigno S. Aquino III to take full responsibility for the oversight in order to avoid the same mistake in the future.

“In order for us not to commit this same mistake in the future, the government should not rely on dangerous foreign pharmaceutical companies but develop safer local medical industry instead,” Agovida said.

READ: SC told: Urge agencies to give medical care to kids given dengue vaccine