Gov't decision on Dengvaxia use may be out in 10 days —Duque

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday said the government may come up with a decision on whether or not to reintroduce the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia to the market in 10 days.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Duque said President Rodrigo Duterte is set to discuss the Dengvaxia issue with his Cabinet officials in Malacañang later in the day.

Duque III: Mamaya pupulungin ni Pang. Duterte ang gabinete. Doon ako magre-report.

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Duque said he agrees with Malacañang's position that more studies are needed to allow the return of Dengvaxia to the market.

"Tama naman yung sinasabi ng Office of the President tsaka ni spokesperson [Salvador] Panelo na kelangan talaga na mag-antay pa tayo ng karagdagang datos o impormasyon kung ito (Dengvaxia) ba ay puwede nating ibalik sa merkado," he said.

Duque also mentioned the possibility of prescribing Dengvaxia only to private patients similar to what Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore are doing.

"[Ito ay] para maiwasan ang tinatawag nating severe dengue reaction para dun sa mga matuturukan na hindi pa nagkakaroon ng dengue in the past," he said.

"Ito ay kinakailangang may doktor, may monitoring na talagang mas masusundan ng doktor yung kondisyon ng pasyente o ng kung sino man yung matuturukan for what is known as adverse event following immunization," Duque added.

Asked on how long he thinks will it take for the government to come up with a decision regarding Dengvaxia, Duque said, "Tantiya ko mga sampung araw."

"Titignan ko rin kung ano ang mga katanungan mamaya [sa meeting] sa Gabinete at si Presidente, dahil baka sila mismo meron silang ibig na suhestiyon na gawin," he said.

Duque said before any decision is announced, there should be "consensus building" first so that groups that are in favor or opposed to the use of Dengvaxia will be on the same page.

"Maraming mga grupo-grupo na nagkaroon ng sari-sariling mga posisyon at nagmamatigas sa kani-kanilang posisyon, dapat itong mga ito pulungin at magkaroon ng tinatawag na consensus building, para nang sa gayon ang lahat ay sumang-ayon o suportahan kung anu man ang magiging desisyon," he explained.

According to the Department of Health, they have already recorded more than 130,000 cases of dengue nationwide as of mid-July, almost double the number from that of last year.

Duque earlier declared a "National Dengue Alert" as cases of dengue continue to rise in the country. —KBK, GMA News