When programs of the DepEd and the DOH work, they do good, but when things go wrong they can cause serious problems or what pharma people call ADVERSE REACTION that has been reported to cause light to serious complications. Quite recently I heard and saw news reports about adverse reaction resulting from the DOH/DepEd deworming program where the “victims” vomited or had to be confined in several hospitals. I really did not know what to think of it back then because almost all medicines and vaccines have the standard disclaimer about reactions. Was it a one to a million, rare occurrence or was it an alarming but eventually non-lethal situation? As we all know, no medicine or vaccine for that matter is fail proof or perfect.
But when the one in a million rare case of a potential adverse reaction happens with your own household or extended family, even the kindest of people can lose faith in the system in spite of the government’s goodwill and good faith.
Last Tuesday I received an urgent call from our Lipa caretaker advising me that she has to rush to Manila to assist her 13-year-old granddaughter who has lost movement in her neck and arms 36 hours after being vaccinated by a “DepEd doctor” at the North Fairview High School, and is now confined at the FEU hospital in Fairview, Quezon City. Listening to all those details, I really felt like I was rewinding and replaying the news report that aired a month or two months ago, verbatim!
The last time I saw Charlotte Biliran Lamata was during their Christmas vacation when she would regularly pop up at the house to play with my daughter or to help her grandma as she cooked the holiday meals. The thought that Charlotte now lies in the ICU, has had a cardiac arrest and is immobilized if not paralyzed, with a tube inserted through her nose to give her medication has me so upset that I opted to send my brother Mike to check things out while I managed things by remote control. I know that I will lose my temper and go ballistic if I see the seventh grader in such a state.
What upsets me is that the story repeats itself even after ABS CBN prominently reported on the problem and the apparent risk of adverse reaction. One would think that the earlier incidents would cause officials to restudy their options and approach before placing minors at risk 30 to 60 days after their last bad episode. Yes they are doing it in good faith and in the interest of the general public, but is it worth the risk after such a short period?
Let me make one thing clear: I SUPPORT VACCINATION and IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS as well as deworming, anti tetanus etc. My wife and my daughter are fully vaccinated and I continue to encourage people to protect themselves especially from Hepa-B which I got from a government hospital that used to be badly managed but has improved since then.
But right now, I am VERY worried about Charlotte’s health, that she survives and that she comes out of this whole thing normal as she was before the incident. In fact, I personally hope that her condition in spite of the uncanny similarities with previous adverse reaction cases, has nothing to do with the vaccination program in the interest of public health promotion, but right now everyone on the ground can only point to the vaccination event as the possible cause!
What makes this difficult time even harder and infuriating is that the only available and attending physicians to Charlotte refused to speak with me on the phone or even in person when after the patient’s mother explained to them that I was the “overall” employer and Kuya of their family. Here I am trying to get an informed and educated perspective of the child’s condition and the inconsiderate so-called healers at FEU hospital refuse to talk to me or give me the necessary information so I could better assist the family.
As a result I had to drive from Pasig all the way to Fairview in Quezon City, thereby giving me enough time to get pissed and righteously angrier at people who will DEMAND PAYMENT for their services but refuse to speak and tell you what the patient’s condition is. This “Doctor Stranger” opts to tell the mother to tell me that her daughter is “CRITICAL”! Great job, Doc, you avoid talking to a member of media, but manage to unnecessarily stress the mother and piss me off! How’s that for insensitivity and blunder. FEU management need to better train their doctors with their bedside manner and customer relations as well as communications skills.
In the mean time, my brother Mike has texted me back from the hospital: “Kuyang, talked with everybody. According to the mother it was the Dep-Ed doctor who wanted to transfer Charlotte to a government hospital. FEU hospital disagreed. Based on info she is in critical situation. DOH and QC gov’t are there. Told them if there are other cases. Its all in GOD’s hands now.”
To the credit of the DepEd, a certain Asec. Jesse Mateo immediately got in touch with me to help investigate and assist in the matter. He in turn alerted the DOH and the one who really helped ease our fears and difficulty was no less than Secretary Janette Garin of the DOH who provided more accurate information that helped me correct wrong impressions and inaccurate data. I extend to them my heartfelt appreciation for their acts of kindness. Honestly all I can do is to hope that Charlotte hangs on and I humbly ask each of you to please intervene through prayers that this young girl who is the closest thing to an “apo” for us, will make it through. We thank you for all your prayers in advance.
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