A group of parents, whose children’s deaths were linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine, is demanding transparency and support from the Department of Health (DoH). The Samahan ng mga Magulang ang mga Anak ay Biktima ng Dengvaxia (SMBAD), led by its president, Sumachen Dominguez, is calling on the DoH to provide a complete list of all the victims. They also want the DoH to reactivate its program that provided medical aid for children who were still suffering after receiving the anti-dengue vaccine.
Dominguez specifically called on Health Secretary Teodoro Javier Herbosa to continue providing hospitalization and medicines for Dengvaxia survivors, including her own son. The SMBAD expressed gratitude to Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta and PAO Forensics Division director Erwin Erfe for their legal, moral, and financial support. They challenged Herbosa to make public the real number of Dengvaxia victims, which they believe to be close to 1 million or possibly more, including some police personnel and even adults.
According to the group, revealing the actual number of victims will help people understand that the parents who filed cases against former Health Secretary Janette Garin represent only a fraction of the larger number of parents who lost their children due to the vaccine. One member of the SMABD revealed that there were many more children who died after receiving the Dengvaxia vaccine, but their families chose to remain silent and accept what happened to their kids, even against their will, after accepting financial compensation from the DoH.
Dominguez shared that the medical assistance provided by the DoH was active during the peak of Dengvaxia cases in 2017 but was abruptly stopped after more than two years for reasons unknown to the public. She praised Health Secretary Ted Herbosa for his compassionate approach and appealed to him to address the current conditions of children who continue to suffer from the serious effects of Dengvaxia.
The SMBAD, along with the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption (VACC), has been closely monitoring over 20 child survivors who are still undergoing medication. Tragically, they have already lost two or three children, and they feel that the DoH has not done enough to support these grieving families. Dominguez believes that countless more children are suffering from the ill effects of Dengvaxia, but their parents have chosen not to speak out due to the lack of assistance from the health department.
In their pursuit of justice, the SMBAD has filed a motion for Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Luisa Gonzales-Betic to recuse herself from the Dengvaxia case, citing a perceived lack of impartiality and trust. Last December, the judge granted the motion to quash filed by Garin and her co-accused, resulting in the rejection of 34 out of 35 new criminal cases. The SMBAD members claim that they filed the motion for voluntary recusal because they believe the judge has already shown favoritism towards the rich and influential accused.
Although the members of the SMBAD are not lawyers, they have a clear understanding of the Supreme Court’s ruling against the consolidation of cases related to Dengvaxia. They remain determined to seek justice for their children and hold those responsible accountable for the tragic outcomes of the Dengvaxia vaccination program.
In conclusion, the parents of Dengvaxia victims are demanding transparency from the Department of Health and support for the survivors. They want the true number of victims to be made public, highlighting the magnitude of the issue. Furthermore, they are urging the DoH to reactivate the medical aid program for those suffering from the effects of Dengvaxia. The parents’ group is also seeking justice through the legal process, with their motion for the judge to recuse herself from the case. Their unwavering determination serves as a reminder that the voices of the affected families must be heard and their concerns addressed.
Source: The Manila Times
