‘More dengue cases seen among Dengvaxia kids’

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is bracing for more dengue cases among the 900,000 school children inoculated with the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in 2016.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told the House of Representatives committee on appropriations that he is expecting the number of dengue infections to increase “due to the decreasing protection the vaccine provides to children.”

“Protection is strong on the first year and wanes on the third year. Since Dengvaxia was given starting in March 2016 up to November last year when we stopped it, we expect that cases would increase starting this year, which is the third year since the vaccine was given,” he said.

So he appealed to parents of the school children who received Dengvaxia to watch for symptoms of dengue and to bring those with manifestations immediately to government hospitals.

Duque said there are dengue express lanes in these hospitals, which he added are under instructions to promptly attend to children showing dengue symptoms.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, appropriations committee chairman, agreed with Duque on his caution of the rising number of infections.

“This is also the report of the World Health Organization (WHO) – that children who were vaccinated with Dengvaxia are exposed to the highest risk on the third year from vaccination,” he said.

Nograles therefore urged the DOH and state hospitals to prepare for this eventuality.

The committee conducted its first hearing on its chairman’s proposal to allocate the P1.16 billion returned by Dengvaxia maker Sanofi Pasteur Inc. for programs that would help or protect children who received the vaccine.

Of the nearly P2-billion Sanofi refund, the DOH is proposing that P776 million be appropriated for outpatient care for the 900,000 vaccinated children. The agency suggests an average budget of P750 for each of them for tests, including blood examination and urinalysis. 

The DOH proposal also includes P270 million for medical kits to be distributed to the children and their families. The kit would be composed of a thermometer, mosquito repellent, two bottles of multivitamins and a bag.