Families of possible Dengvaxia fatalities receive cash, food aid

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Families of three school children who died of a severe case of dengue possibly due to the anti-dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, received financial aid and food assistance from the provincial government of Pampanga.

Through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), the families of Wendell Cueller, 10, of Magalang town; Kristine Jane Magtira, 12, of Candaba; and Jica Juliana Domingo, 12, of Masantol each received 110,000 cash assistance from the Capitol and another 110,000 from Governor Lilia Pineda.

Each of their families was also given a cavan of rice and two boxes of “mamon” or sponge cake, said PSWD Officer Elizabeth EstillerBaybayan.

She said the governor is bent on assisting possible victims of a severe or fatal case of dengue after being administered with the Dengvaxia vaccines.

Earlier, Gov. Pineda asked the Provincial Board to allocate an emergency fund to assist students who were injected with the dengue vaccine and might develop complications.

The governor also mobilized purok leaders, barangay health workers and community volunteers to monitor the health condition of all vaccinated students in their respective communities.

Some 47,358 children in Pampanga were administered with the controversial vaccine in 2016, according to records of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 3.