PRESS STATEMENT | 26 January 2018
Ensuring the protection of children is our collective duty and moral responsibility.
The imperative of safeguarding our children entails not exposing them to any vulnerability and harm, especially to their health which is primordial in the attainment of their full development and enjoyment of life.
Attaining and protecting this fundamental right of children is one of the primary duties of the State. As provided for in Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution, it is a core policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.
As duty-bearers, public officials and our leaders are presumed as much as they are always expected to put utmost premium on the welfare of children when formulating and implementing policies and programs. Yet, executives of the Department of Health (DOH) during the Aquino administration are now subject of an investigation in connection with the immunization of children with anti-dengue vaccine “Dengvaxia”. While DOH is presumed to have the sincerest intentions in fulfilling its mandate to protect the people through a policy that seeks to prevent all kinds of illnesses and diseases including dengue, there has been lapses in the implementation.
On November 2017, the vaccine’s manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, after more than a year from its pilot implementation, announced that the vaccine can increase the hospitalization risk for individuals who have not been previously infected by the dengue virus. Based on DOH’s account, this puts the health and safety of approximately ten percent (10%) of the total 830,000 children who have been subject of the immunization program. At present, the deaths of fourteen (14) children, aged 9-11, are being examined by different government agencies for possible link to “Dengvaxia”.
Children have the right to the best health care possible as provided for in Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The State must always exercise thorough care and extra due diligence when it comes to formulating and implementing health programs for children.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) recognizes the efforts of the DOH to heighten surveillance and monitoring activities on all 830,000 vaccinated children. The government ought to undertake all possible measures to prevent further exposing the vaccinated children to risk.
In keeping with its constitutional mandate, the CHR is continuing its investigative monitoring of the DOH’s efforts with regard to this issue –both at national and regional offices– which also includes the DOH’s responsibility of strengthening the preparedness of public hospitals to attend to any severe dengue cases.
Likewise, we trust that the Congressional investigation will result to legislation that will not only prevent such incident from happening again but also in improving our public health programs.
Considering the urgency of the problem as children’s lives are at stake, we expect the concerned agencies to provide immediate solutions to this tragic occurrence. More so, as it is the imperative of public service, liabilities and accountabilities should be determined to ensure that the rights of children are upheld and justice is served.
Public officials are also urged to refrain from causing further public anxiety with premature statements that are not backed by scientific evidence. Further, it is to the best interest of the children and their families that this issue be insulated from political noise that distracts from providing genuine and durable solution to the problem at hand. This issue deserves the government’s utmost attention given that the future of our nation depends on the welfare of our children.