DOH forms task force to address Dengvaxia concerns

The Department of Health (DOH) has created a task force to manage concerns related to the school-based immunization program using Dengvaxia, the controversial anti-dengue vaccine.

Composed of top DOH management officials from the central office and affected regions, as well as representatives from the Food and Drug Administration, PhilHealth, and the National Children’s Hospital, the task force will monitor and attend to the health needs of those immunized with the vaccine.

“This Task Force will conduct a thorough review of the dengue vaccination initiative which started in March 2016 and the new evidence on safety provided by Sanofi," Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a statement on Friday.

"This shall guide the Department of Health in responding to the safety concerns relevant to the use of this vaccine and how to proceed with the dengue program to ensure safeguards and prevent similar incidents in the future,” he added.

About 30 additional surveillance officers will be deployed to public hospitals in the regions — including Regions III, IV-A, and the National Capital Region — where the anti-dengue vaccination program was initially launched.

“We will be deploying them immediately for active surveillance and data collection in these hospitals. Surveillance will be done for five years. This is part of our commitment to the parents and children who were immunized with the anti-dengue vaccines,” Duque said.

The DOH is updating its master list of the 830,000 students given Dengvaxia in coordination with field offices and the Department of Education.

It is unknown if the DOH will account for students inoculated in private and public health centers.

Duque has also announced that they will "demand the refund of the P3.5 billion paid for the Dengvaxia" and an indemnification fund from Sanofi to cover the treatment of all children who might contract severe dengue after being vaccinated by the drug.

The health department also aims to make the public aware of the pre-existing dengue case rate package of PhilHealth that may cover up to P16,000 for a child afflicted with severe dengue.

An inquiry was sought following Sanofi's revelation that Dengvaxia may increase the risk of severe dengue in people who have no prior dengue infections after the DOH completed the three doses for its dengue vaccination program. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News