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OPINION: Should Aquino, Duterte be held liable for dengvaxia deaths?
By Raissa Robles
Posted at Feb 10 2018 05:28 AM
Should former President Benigno Aquino III be held responsible for dengvaxia deaths?
Of course.
Along with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Both implemented the program: President Aquino for THREE MONTHS, and President Duterte for FIFTEEN MONTHS.
Duterte bears a bigger burden because he continued it despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) had already issued a position paper outlining the risks.
In late July 2016—weeks after Duterte became President, the WHO finally came out with its findings and recommendation:
“…vaccination may be ineffective or may theoretically even increase the future risk of hospitalized or severe dengue illness in those who are seronegative at the time of first vaccination regardless of age.”[i] As this risk had at that time not been seen in the age groups for which the vaccine was licensed, WHO issued a conditional recommendation, emphasizing the use of the vaccine in populations having been previously infected with dengue virus.
To minimize illness for seronegative vaccinated people, WHO recommends enhancing measures that reduce exposure to dengue infection among populations where the vaccine has already been administered. For vaccine recipients who present with clinical symptoms compatible with dengue virus infection, access to medical care should be expedited to allow for proper evaluation, identification, and management of severe forms of the disease.”
By July 1, 2016, Duterte had assumed office and Paulyn Ubial was his Secretary of Health. Despite the WHO position paper, Ubial said she continued the dengvaxia vaccination program.
Over a year later in December 2017, Ubial told a Senate committee probe that certain House lawmakers had pressured her into expanding the vaccination program.
See: news.abs-com timeline
Duterte could have stopped the program when he assumed office in July, but he didn’t. Ubial temporarily halted it TEN MONTHS LATER in May 2017. But she resumed it in June 2017. Then scrapped it SIX MONTHS LATER in December 2017.
When the Duterte government finally stopped giving vaccinations, spokesman Harry Roque said: “He (Duterte) would have done the same thing (Aquino did) because he himself has suffered from dengue and you can’t deprive the people of what they thought would be protection against a deadly disease when it existed.”
Are dengvaxia deaths, if criminal neglect is proven, an impeachable crime?
Most probably.
The bar for impeachable crimes has fallen quite drastically, if you watch the House committee deliberation on the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
x x x."
See -
http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/02/10/18/opinion-should-aquino-duterte-be-held-liable-for-dengvaxia-deaths
Of course.
Along with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Both implemented the program: President Aquino for THREE MONTHS, and President Duterte for FIFTEEN MONTHS.
Duterte bears a bigger burden because he continued it despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) had already issued a position paper outlining the risks.
In late July 2016—weeks after Duterte became President, the WHO finally came out with its findings and recommendation:
“…vaccination may be ineffective or may theoretically even increase the future risk of hospitalized or severe dengue illness in those who are seronegative at the time of first vaccination regardless of age.”[i] As this risk had at that time not been seen in the age groups for which the vaccine was licensed, WHO issued a conditional recommendation, emphasizing the use of the vaccine in populations having been previously infected with dengue virus.
To minimize illness for seronegative vaccinated people, WHO recommends enhancing measures that reduce exposure to dengue infection among populations where the vaccine has already been administered. For vaccine recipients who present with clinical symptoms compatible with dengue virus infection, access to medical care should be expedited to allow for proper evaluation, identification, and management of severe forms of the disease.”
By July 1, 2016, Duterte had assumed office and Paulyn Ubial was his Secretary of Health. Despite the WHO position paper, Ubial said she continued the dengvaxia vaccination program.
Over a year later in December 2017, Ubial told a Senate committee probe that certain House lawmakers had pressured her into expanding the vaccination program.
See: news.abs-com timeline
Duterte could have stopped the program when he assumed office in July, but he didn’t. Ubial temporarily halted it TEN MONTHS LATER in May 2017. But she resumed it in June 2017. Then scrapped it SIX MONTHS LATER in December 2017.
When the Duterte government finally stopped giving vaccinations, spokesman Harry Roque said: “He (Duterte) would have done the same thing (Aquino did) because he himself has suffered from dengue and you can’t deprive the people of what they thought would be protection against a deadly disease when it existed.”
Are dengvaxia deaths, if criminal neglect is proven, an impeachable crime?
Most probably.
The bar for impeachable crimes has fallen quite drastically, if you watch the House committee deliberation on the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
x x x."
See -
http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/02/10/18/opinion-should-aquino-duterte-be-held-liable-for-dengvaxia-deaths
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