IMUS CITY, Cavite — Parents of 121,219 children who were vaccinated with Dengvaxia in Cavite province expressed apprehension over the harmful effects of the vaccine to their children.
In interviews with PNA on Tuesday, Teresita Amosito, 38, and another mother who asked not to reveal her name, both residents of Imus City, expressed outrage as their children were among those vaccinated under the school-based anti-dengue immunization program.
“Nag-aalala na po kami sa aming mga anak, lalo na unti-unti naming nalalaman sa mga balita at interviews sa mga pulitiko, mga doctor ng Department of Health (DOH) at napanood namin sa TV na dalawa na ang namatay sa dengue vaccine at baka marami pang mamamatay,” Amosito said.
Parents here also inquired on DOH Secretary Francisco Duque’s announcement that around one million cards are being distributed to monitor the children who were vaccinated with Dengvaxia for five months.
But, they said “we have not received any card distributed in health centers and government hospitals in Cavite.”
“Sa totoo lang nag-aalala kami masyado, pag di umaksyon ang gobyerno, biruin mo mahigit 121,000 pala na-injectionan, sasama kami sa protesta kung meron ditto sa Cavite,”Aling Teresita said.
As of posting time, some doctors in government hospitals in Cavite have declined comment and told parents not to panic as they referred the matter to the DOH for clarification and monitoring activities they are tasked to undertake.
Cavite Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (PESU) chief, Dr. Nelson Soriano, also said that only authorized doctors and registered nurses can administer the vaccination to school children from Grade 4 and above.
He confirmed that as of now they have not received any formal complaints yet from parents of some 121,219 children who were vaccinated with Dengvaxia and the immunization program was cumulative in all public schools in Cavite province that received the Dengvaxia vaccine.
“There are no data as yet on the frequency per municipality/city or per school, but we are monitoring the situation and there was no reported death allegedly from the vaccine,” Soriano said.
The PESU chief also said that based on Dengvaxia vaccination report in Cavite, they (PESU) administered the vaccine in three batches in 2016, with the first to some 46,393; second batch with 37,966; and third batch with 36,860 or a total of 121,219 Grade 4 students in public elementary schools.
The report of the health department’s Dengvaxia immunization program in 2016 revealed that the vaccine were administered to Grade 4 students, for ages nine and above covering Region 3 (Central Luzon), National Capital Region (NCR) for Metro Manila and Region 4-A (Calabarzon) comprised of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
Cavite parents of children injected with the vaccine, however, welcomed the government’s move on Tuesday, through the Department of Justice and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), to assist the families of children and other individuals who got the Dengvaxia vaccine for possible criminal and administrative cases that they may file.
They expressed some relief upon learning that PAO chief lawyer Persida Acosta would be extending free legal assistance to the families of the victims as PAO expects more families who are willing to come forward to speak up on the ill effects of the vaccine. (Rogelio Limpin/PNA)
