FILE PHOTO: A health worker injects Dengvaxia
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health’s (DOH) dengue adverse events surveillance has listed more than 3,000 dengvaxia vaccinees who became severely sick and were admitted to hospitals from 2016 to 2018.
More than 1,000 of them have tested positive for dengue. There are 65 recorded death cases and 13 of which had died of dengue infection.
The health department has spent more than P22.1 million for the medical services and hospitalization of vaccinees from different regions.
“Financial assistance to Dengvaxia vaccinees who got sick and were admitted to hospitals in the NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Cebu regions as additional support for our patients,” said Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo.
DOH is currently examining if the diseases which caused the death of the vaccinees have links to Dengvaxia and real effects of the said vaccine
“That’s why we collect the data from all of them so that when we take a look and we can see kung merong connection talaga (if there really is a connection) including of course doon sa fatalities natin (among the fatalities),” said the undersecretary.
The DOH expects the findings of the 17 cases of Dengvaxia vaccinees whose deaths are linked to Dengvaxia from the UP-PGH-DITF (Philippine General Hospital Dengue Investigative Task Force) to be released next week.
“The PGH-DITF is almost finalizing the report. Meron lang kasi alam kong isang pending case kasi may isang adult (There’s just one pending case involving an adult). Most of the members of the DITF initially were really pediatricians tapos nagkaroon tayo ng isang adult case iyong (then an adult case turned up, the) utility worker ng (of the)police, so this one they have to refer it to an internist,” said Domingo.
Meanwhile, health department is waiting for the approval of both houses of Congress for the use of P1.16 billion from the refund of Sanofi Pasteur for the Dengvaxia assistance program. — Aiko Miguel | UNTV News & Rescue
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