Parents of children given the untried and largely untested Dengvaxia vaccine have complained to Senator Dick Gordon that they were not given proper information or have been warned of any side effects before their children were given the vaccine.
During a consultation with Gordon, officials of the United Parents Against Dengvaxia (UPAD) lamented that their children have now developed various ailments that they didn’t have prior to their inoculation.
“Dengue is endemic to the Philippines.”
In response, the veteran legislator stressed the need for setting up the most advanced training program and testing facilities for dengue specialists because dengue is endemic to the Philippines and to enable them to determine if the development of various diseases in the children inoculated with Dengvaxia is a side-effect of the vaccine.
“We really have to conduct a lot of study first before we could even think about re-instituting this vaccine. Hindi pa natin masiguradong ang mga sinasabi ng mga magulang ng mga batang naineksyunan ay hindi side-effects nitong Dengvaxia,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
The parents are appealing to the senator, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that conducted the probe on the anomalous procurement of the vaccine, because of their mistrust in the government’s immunization program.
“We were not given proper information nor warned of any side effects prior to inoculation.”
They are also appealing for assistance to those who were given the Dengvaxia without proper information and without complying with proper procedures such as checking their medical histories.
UPAD chairman Elvie Ligerald complained that they were not given proper information or have been warned of any side effects prior to inoculation. She added their children, while fortunately alive, now have to take maintenance medications due to the different diseases that they have developed after being inoculated.
“Yung mga anak namin dito sa grupo namin ay puro mga buhay naman, Ang problema lang, mula ng nainkesyunan sila, nagkaroon na sila ng iba’t ibang sakit na nangangailangan ng maintenance. Wala naman silang history ng ganung sakit. Ang masakit pa, hindi kami binigyan ng babala na ganito ang mangyayari sa mga anak namin. Kasi ni hindi man lang nila tinanong kung nagkaroon na sila dati ng dengue. Marami nga sa min ang hindi kinuhanan ng consent. Kaya sumulat kami kay Pangulong Duterte para ipa-abot namin ang pagtutol namin na mabalik ang Dengvaxia,” Ligerald said.
Their children were diagnosed with kidney problems, high blood pressure, and epilepsy, among others. Others have complained of joint pains, extreme weakness, curved backs, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dehydration and extreme pain at the sides.