DOH Conducts First-ever Free Dengue Vaccination Program in 3 Regions

The Department of Health (DOH), together with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and other health partners, led the launching on Monday of the first-ever free-dengue vaccination program at Parang Elementary school in Marikina City.

DOH Secretary Janette L. Garin herself injected a grade IV pupil who is the first to avail of the new anti-dengue vaccine called Dengvaxia. Some 600 pupils in Marikina were also given the same vaccine.

The historic first dengue vaccination launching at the Marikina school marked the start of the conduct of the free vaccination in three regions where it will be administered in three doses among grade IV pupils or nine-year-old children studying in public schools.

These are in Regions III (Central Luzon), IV-A (Calabarzon), and the National Capital Region (NCR).Calabarzon refers to the five provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

A total of one million children will be benefiting from the free vaccination program made possible with the commitment of the Aquino Health Agenda in making the vaccine-preventable illnesses accessible by the poorest sectors needing them in order to bridge the gaps between the rich and the poor in the area of health inequity.

“Today will be a historic milestone in public health for the Philippines as we formally launch our dengue vaccination through a school-based immunization approach. We are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through public health system and under public school settings. With this breakthrough, we can now expand our immunization services to address a disease that is of public health importance,” Secretary Garin said.

The vaccine, manufactured by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, will be administered in three doses to be given separately in the interval of six months.

Under the program, the first dose of the vaccine will be given from April to June 2016, followed by the second dose in October–December 2016, and the last dose in April-June 2017.

The vaccine was procured at a cheaper price by the government through negotiations wherein the French company agreed to provide the vaccine at a discounted price so that more poor children in the country will benefit from it or be protected from dengue.

The children are the first targets because based on studies, children are most susceptible to the dengue- biting mosquitoes.

By vaccinating these children, the government is in effect reducing the source of the disease, therefore lessening also the chances of transmission of dengue as the vaccinated children will not become the source of dengue infection in case they are bitten by dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

In effect, said children can also protect the other family members around them and in their communities.

On top of it all, the reduction of dengue cases and severe form that can result to hospitalization will also be reduced.

In addition, children absenteeism in school, lost of productivity, family expenses and emotional burden will also be prevented in the process as beneficial effects.

During the launching, Secretary Garin reiterated that the dengue vaccine, which will be administered to selected elementary public school students, was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last December.

The license was approved several months after the company first applied for its licensure in the country.

Dr. Garin also said that the Dengvaxia vaccine is a result of more two decades of efficacy and safety studies across 10 endemic countries and involved more than 30,000 children from various states.

She added that 23 additional clinical studies were considered as basis for approval. The vaccine was given exemption by the Formulary Executive Council (FEC).

She also said that the vaccine was prequalified and had also secured licenses from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) not only in the Philippines but also in Mexico, Brazil and two other countries.

“In other words, these countries will not make the dengue vaccine available to the private sectors if it is not safe,” she said.

Garin also said that the DOH has established a strict monitoring and surveillance system for any adverse events and side effects that may be experienced from the immunization.

Together with other health experts, she allayed any fears and said that side effects are common, just like in any other vaccines.

Other experts from the medical societies who expressed support to the program assured that the side effects usually last only up to 24 hours and are all manageable.

Since December 2015, the DOH has conducted orientations to parents, teachers, vaccinators, and medical professional groups on the dengue vaccine in the regions where it will be administered.

Health provides in each region were also trained to develop their own operational plans to ensure smooth immunization activities in their areas.

Part of the orientations conducted gave instructions on how to handle any occurrence of side effects and securing of consent from parents by explaining to them in Parents- Teachers Association (PTA) meeting the beneficial effects of the dengue vaccine.

The Philippines had the highest incidence of dengue cases in the Western Pacific Region from 2013 to 2015.

As of Feb. 20, 2016, a total of 18,790 suspected dengue cases were reported nationwide.

This was 13.2 percent higher compared to the same period last year which had a total of 16,606 cases.

Most of the cases were from Region IV-A with 3,182 cases out of 18,790 (16.9 percent); Region III, with 2,596 cases (13.8 percent); and NCR, 1,479 cases (7.9 percent). (PNA) SCS/LSJ/SSC