“Mere band-aid solutions, poor government response, lack of political will.”
These statements summarize the reports Gabriela Metro Manila received from parents whose children were immunized with Dengvaxia. The group made the statement in a press conference today with Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas as they reported the results of their ‘Dengvaxia Watch’ campaign.
On December 18, 2017, the group launched Dengvaxia Watch hotlines to gather grievances from parents of almost 800,000 children who received Sanofi Pasteur’s anti-dengue vaccine. The group, through their Services Committee, received reports at hotline numbers 02-3535077, 0977-6274755 (Globe), 0908-3653366 (Smart), as well as others from their Facebook page and e-mail.
In a little over a month, Gabriela Metro Manila received an average of 15 reports per day covering various provinces in the regions of Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Bicol, Cebu, and from General Santos City.
The group also went on-ground and talked to around 500 parents during the kick-off of Dengvaxia Caravan forums in Manila and Malabon City.
Fear and paranoia
“To sum up the reports, complainants expressed their fear and outrage over the trauma and torture that the Dengvaxia vaccine brought them and their children. This anger may erupt soon if the government will remain indecisive and incompetent in providing holistic solutions to the victims,” says Inah Fadriquela, deputy secretary-general of Gabriela Metro Manila.
Fadriquela said that reports from the media detailing the deaths of children vaccinated by Dengvaxia have caused alarm and paranoia to the parents and their children. To date, 26 children have died of multiple organ bleeding due to the Dengvaxia vaccine.
“Our government officials must stop playing the blame game on each other over the Dengvaxia debacle and start thinking how to concretely and comprehensively address and resolve the issue for the welfare of our children and their parents. Every second counts. Every life matters,” Fadriquela added.
Poor government response over Dengvaxia mess slammed
Gabriela Metro Manila also aired their dismay at the Department of Health (DOH) and the Duterte administration for its poor response to the crisis caused by Dengvaxia. They said that based from the reports they get from the complainants, ‘mere band-aid solutions’ were being offered to them by various government agencies.
Fadriquela noted that “instead of implementing a comprehensive and direct government intervention to solve the problem, the DOH is just waiting for victims to call their attention and offer the government’s obsolete 4S-solutions (Search and destroy, Self-protection measures, Seek early consultation, Say no to indiscriminate fogging) given that the public health system in the country remains problematic. The government does not even provide immediate financial support to the victims.”
She added, “Aside from the trauma, parents also shoulder the expenses for first aid, health monitoring, and boosting their children’s immune system in order for them to combat vulnerabilities of severe dengue caused by the Dengvaxia vaccine.”
The group also pointed out that the Duterte government lacks political will in resolving the problem of Dengvaxia. They said that in a span of two months since the start of the fiasco, concerned government agencies still have not shown beneficial efforts to resolve it.
Group counters DOH ‘4S’
To counter the measures being offered by the DOH, Gabriela Metro Manila today announced their own version of ‘4S,’ which they called ‘4S SAGIP BIKTIMA NG DENGVAXIA’ (4S to Save the Victims of Dengvaxia).
The group’s version of ‘4S’ are the following:
- SAMA–SAMANG MAGBUO NG SAMAHAN NG MAGULANG AT BIKTIMA!
(Collectively form organizations of parents and victims)
- SINGILIN ANG PAMAHALAAN SA KRIMINAL NA PANANAGUTAN, INHUSTIYA AT KAWALANG-KAPASYAHAN UPANG KOMPREHENSIBONG SOLUSYONAN ANG PROBLEMANG DINULOT NG DENGVAXIA!
(Hold the government accountable over the injustice and indecisiveness in offering comprehensive solutions brought about by Dengvaxia)
- SIGN-UP SA PETISYON PARA SA SERBISYONG LIBRE AT SUBSIDIYA!
(Sign the petition for free health services and subsidy)
- SUMAMA SA ‘ARAW NG PANININGIL’ SA PEBRERO 7!
(Join the ‘Day of Rage’ protest on February 7)
Gabriela Metro Manila urged all parents of Dengvaxia victims to do the 4S and join them in a protest-dialogue on February 7 at the DOH head office in Manila. The activity aims to collectively and directly demand the government to prioritize the best interests of the victims of Dengvaxia in the soonest possible time.
