Continue Efforts On Cleanliness, Even With The Available Dengue Vaccine, DOH Says

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded Friday the public to still strengthen focus on cleanliness efforts even with the availability of the dengue vaccine.

DOH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy made the reminder as the information regarding the availability of the vaccine began spreading with its launching held Thursday at Zuellig Pharmaceutical Corporation in Paranaque City.

The newly launched dengue vaccine, which is the first globally, was formally made known to the public Thursday morning.

The vaccine, Dengvaxia is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur and distributed by Zuellig Pharmaceutical Corporation.

The vaccine which was a product of more than 20 years of research and studies is expected to be of great help in the prevention and reduction of dengue cases and burden and cost of hospitalization.

The studies on the vaccine was made among the 9 to 45 years of age groups.

This burden has a huge impact also on the economy and spending of the government aside from the physical, emotional and psychological trauma in a family whose members are afflicted with dengue.

In the study, it was said that this vaccine can prevent 9 out 10 severe dengue and 8 out of 10 hospitalization in the target age groups.

“The existence of the dengue vaccine now is not a reason for us to disregard the responsibility to be a part in the cleanliness of our environment,” said Dr. Lee Suy.

Lee Suy added that while dengue vaccine is now available (through the doctors in the private hospitals), there is no reason to be complacent and forget the “shared responsibility” in keeping the cleanliness of the environment.

He added that since there is also an existing “threat” for Zika virus infection, the public should continue being part in the efforts for destroying the breeding sites of mosquitoes.

“As mentioned, the mosquitoes (aedes aegypti) which is present in the country can still become source to spread Zika virus infection.“So tuloy-tuloy po dapat ang ating paglilinis,” he added, citing not all can be provided with the dengue vaccine because of the cost.

The dengue vaccine is not free in private hospitals and there is a corresponding fee to avail it.

According to Sanofi Pasteur country manager Ching R. Santos, the price of the dengue vaccination will depend on the doctor’s professional fee plus the cost of the vaccine and therefore, will be different (in terms of fees) in the private hospitals where it will be administered.

The vaccine should be administered three times (with six months interval).

Meanwhile, the DOH spokesperson clarified that the government’s “dengue vaccination program” which will be conducted in March will be targeting only the grade 4 students (9 to 10 years old) in the public schools in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and CALABARZON.

The government will spend PHP3.5 billion for this vaccination program. The budget will come from the Sin Tax Revenue.

For that program, the government was able to negotiate a huge discount from the Sanofi Pasteur.

The said vaccination program will be targeting the Grade 4s (1,077,023) in the public schools of the mentioned regions because based on records, these three regions and age groups are the ones that are usually prone to dengue.

The government targeted these groups to help create “herd immunity” wherein through the immunized children, other members of the community will be protected because they will not become potential “source” of dengue disease. This means, the chances of transmission and its huge implications will be reduced.

Dengue has 4 serotypes and infection from one serotype does not give immunity to the three other serotypes.

In 2012, dengue was declared as a public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has set objective to reduce dengue deaths by 50 percent and illness by 25 percent by 2020.(PNA) FFC/LSJ/EDS