DOH awaits PGH review on deaths of children given Dengvaxia shots

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Sunday said that they are still waiting for the result of the evaluation of an expert panel from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital regarding the deaths of 14 children who were vaccinated with the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Duque said that the review result of the cases of 14 children may be released this week.

Meanwhile, the health chief said the patterns that the Public Attorney's Office found on the deaths of five children were consistent with dengue shock syndrome.

"Yung sinasabi nilang pattern consistent 'yan with dengue shock syndrome, 'yun talaga, ke na-dengvaxia ka o hindi, 'pag na-dengue shock syndrome ka ay consistent yung findings at 'yun naman ang kanilang nakita, yung multi-organ involvement –brain, liver, kidney, lungs, heart," he said.

Last week, PAO forensic consultant Erwin Erfe said they have exhumed and examined three bodies of children — Anjielica Pestilos, 10, Zandro Colite, 11, and Lenard Baldonado, 10, — who all had similar findings on the posible cause of their deaths.

Erfe said that the deaths of three children occurred within six months after they were administered with Dengvaxia vaccine.

Other patterns found on the posible causes of their deaths include enlargement of different organs and bleeding on some parts of the body. —LBG, GMA News