THE City Health Office (CHO) confirmed Monday that Bacolod City and Negros Occidental were not included in the Department of Health dengue vaccination program last year thus, Dengvaxia was not used among schoolchildren in the city.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said the
dengue vaccines were given only to the three highly endemic regions, where the identified children received at least three doses.
In 2016, the Department of Health (DOH) launched the dengue vaccination initiative in regions like Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and National Capital Region.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia urged residents of Bacolod not to panic on the reported possible risk of the dengue vaccination because the CHO did not receive dengue vaccines from the National Government.
Leonardia said Monday he was informed by the CHO that Bacolod is not a recipient of the dengue vaccines.
“In so far as this case is concerned, involving the dengue vaccine, I told them (CHO) not to make any action unless and until the national office will clear the issue with specific instructions on how to treat these,” Leonardia said.
Still, the mayor said parents should not worry because the CHO did not give dengue vaccines in public schools.
He added that individuals who received the dengue vaccines from their private doctors should coordinate with the CHO for monitoring.
The DOH had earlier suspended the dengue immunization program for public schools in the country after the vaccine maker announced possible risk if the drug is administered to individuals not previously infected with dengue.
The immunization program was in line with the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) for mass vaccination in highly endemic countries.
On November 29, the DOH received preliminary briefing on updated information on dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, from Sanofi Pasteur.
Tan noted that based on the report, the dengue vaccine has shown consistent and sustained benefit for those who were previously infected with the dengue virus.
For those who were not previously infected by the dengue virus, the analysis found that vaccination led to a benefit in preventing severe illness for at least 30 months. In the longer term, severe cases may occur following a subsequent dengue infection among those who were not previously infected.
Tan said that with this new analysis, the DOH will place the dengue vaccination on hold while review and consultation is ongoing with experts, key stakeholders, and the WHO.
“The DOH is highly committed in strengthening and intensifying its ongoing surveillance and monitoring to evaluate the program and ensure safety," she said.
On Monday, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur denied that three children died due to dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
"There are no reported deaths that are related to the dengue vaccination," said Sanofi Pasteur's Dr. Ruby Dizon.
His statement came after the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chair Dante Jimenez said in a press conference Monday that their coordinator in Central Luzon reported that three children vaccinated with Dengvaxia have died.
Dizon, however, urged the DOH to validate the said report.
More than 700,000 children were vaccinated since last year, under the government's mass immunization program.
The DOH earlier said the vaccine has put the 700,000 children at risk to severe types of dengue.
Sanofi global medical head Ng Su Peing said Monday that the vaccine is not recommended for those without prior infection, as it increases their risk of contracting severe dengue.
But to those who have been infected before, the effectivity of the vaccine increases by up to six years, added Peing.
Peing advised parents to speak with doctors to understand the risks. The Sanofi representatives said they will cooperate on any investigation over the dengue vaccine.
The Senate and the Department of Justice are set to probe the procurement and usage of Dengvaxia following Sanofi's advisory last week that based on clinical studies, the vaccine poses more risks to those who have not been infected by dengue prior to their vaccination. (with PNA/VoxPop Philippines)
