13 DOH execs charged
Some 13 incumbent officials of the Department of Health (DOH) are facing administrative charges before the Office of the President over their supposed involvement in the implementation of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
DENGVAXIA VACCINES
An administrative complaint was lodged yesterday against Undersecretaries Carol Tanio, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David, and Mario Villaverde; Assistant Secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago; Director Laureano Cruz; OIC directors Joyce Ducusin and Mar Wynn Bello; Director IV Leonila Gorgolon, Rio Magpantay and Ariel Valencia; and Director Julius Lecciones.
The petitioners, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. (VPCI), accused the DOH officials of committing grave misconduct and gross negligence for “ill-advisedly, thoughtlessly, or imprudently” implementing the anti-dengue vaccine program.
The VACC and VPCI asked Malacañang to suspend the DOH officials pending investigation to prevent them from using their power to “destroy, hide or tamper with the evidence as well as intimidate potential witnesses against them.”
The two groups questioned the procurement of Dengvaxia vaccine, which they claimed as “fast tracked” and may have breached the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Suspended
The DOH suspended the anti-dengue vaccination program in December 2017, after manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur revealed that Dengvaxia could cause severe dengue in individuals who have not contracted the virus prior to immunization.
Over 800,000 children in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Central Visayas had been inoculated with Dengvaxia prior to the release of these new findings.
The VACC also lodged on February 2 a complaint before the Commission on Elections against former president Benigno Aquino II, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, four former DOH official, and 13 active DOH officials over the Dengvaxia fiasco.
The VACC accused Aquino and other respondents of violating Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code when they allowed the release of P3.5 billion in public funds for the procurement of Dengvaxia vaccine.
As this developed, Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur declined the administration’s plea for a full refund of the P3.5 billion that the Philippines spent for the vaccines.
No refund
The Dengvaxia maker said agreeing to the proposed refund would imply that the vaccine is “ineffective, which is not the case.”
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the government will proceed with the conduct of autopsies on children who died from severe dengue after being inoculated with Dengvaxia after the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) found that three of 14 deaths may have been caused by the vaccine.
“Of the 14 cases, nine died of cases not related to dengue or the vaccine, two could not be ascertained due to lack of information, and three were diagnosed as dengue shock. Of the three, the two others who died with dengue shock ([syndrome) were considered as vaccine failures based on serology test,” Roque told Palace reporters.
“We are flatly rejecting the call to stop autopsies. We will perform autopsies as they are required because we need to find the truth,” he added.