MOREH ACADEMY

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Concern of Implementing Free Vaccination for Children With Age 6 Months

to 16 Years Old at Brgy. Tanyag,Taguig City:

A Documentary Assessment on Public Trust and Acceptance on Vaccination

Programs Due To Dengvaxia Scare Effect

By Researchers: STEM-Ecclesiastes

Daisyree Eco

Samantha De Guzman

Mary Grace Cherry Andaya

KenethDela Cruz

Aisha Chandra

Earl Adal

Ashary Dao
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

First and foremost, why did we come up to this study? As we can see in the present

time, people have discovered many. Various inventions and more, and at the same time is the

development of diseases. Many diseases are being discovered and would be discovered, so the

only thing we can do is to get things ready. Vaccination or immunization programs will help us

to prepare ourselves through being vaccinated in order for us to prevent variety of diseases that

may cause a danger to us.

Why should someone get immunized? The goal of public health is to prevent disease. It's

much easier and more cost-effective to prevent a disease than to treat it. That's exactly what

immunizations aim to do.

Immunizations or vaccinations protect us from serious diseases and also prevent the

spread of those diseases to others. Over the years immunizations have prevent epidemics of once

common infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough. It is often stated

that vaccination has made the greatest contribution to global health of any human intervention.

But despite of all the advantages of vaccine, it’s effectiveness has been questioned due to the

dengvaxia controversy and its scare effect to the Filipinos.

1.1 Background of the Study

Immunization is one of the most cost-effective solutions to major global challenges and

vaccination prevents an estimated 2.5 million deaths annually. With the exception of clean water,

no other modality prevents more deaths than vaccination. 1 The Philippines is now the 44th

country to be certified as having eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus. 2 This was achieved

primarily by ensuring hygienic delivery and cord care practices, and by immunizing children and

women. On 29 November 2017, a press statement was released by Sanofi Pasteur regarding the

results of the new analysis of clinical trial data of the dengue vaccine, CYD-TDV (Dengvaxia®).

Based on this information, persistent protection against dengue fever was provided by the

vaccine among those who had prior infection. However, for those not previously infected by the

dengue virus, more cases of severe disease may occur upon a subsequent dengue infection

following vaccination. 3 Since this announcement, the Department of Health (DOH) placed the

dengue vaccination program on hold until further review. Concerns about the safety of dengue

vaccine in the public health program are the trending topics in the news and in social media. In

the ongoing discussions with the dengue vaccine, the value of routine childhood vaccination is

being drowned by fear and panic. There is a possible risk that all the media attention to one

vaccine will lead to distrust of all other vaccines in the national immunization program and result

in lower vaccine coverage, affecting not just school age vaccination, but even infant

immunization. Reductions in vaccine coverage may lead to disease outbreaks such as the 2013

measles outbreak in the country. 4 In 2013, Vietnam suspended the use of pentavalent

(diphtheria-pertussis-tetanushepatitis B - Haemophilus influenzae b) vaccine after reports of

deaths that occurred after pentavalent immunization. The suspension of the pentavalent vaccine

in Vietnam is estimated to result in 90,137 chronic infections and 17,456 future deaths due to

hepatitis B in the 2013 birth cohort. 5 The deaths which lead to the suspension were eventually
assessed as not due to the pentavalent vaccine. In the past five years, the Philippines has

introduced several new vaccines in the expanded immunization program of the government,

namely, mumps, rubella, inactivated poliovirus, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. The

school-based immunization for booster doses of measles-mumps-rubella and diphtheria-tetanus

are substantial breakthroughs in ensuring prevention of disease for all Filipino children. Vaccines

have never been free from risk, hence, decisions on new vaccine introduction require risk-benefit

analysis. A survey on vaccine safety and confidence showed that 92.7% and 80% of surveyed

Filipinos strongly agreed that vaccines are important and safe, respectively. 7 The trust and

confidence of the Filipinos in the immunization program should not be eroded by this experience

to one vaccine. Health professionals and societies must strive to support all efforts to ensure that

the country does not fail its citizenry in providing the best health care services.
1.2 Theoretical Framework

Fig. 1: VH along two axes

Commitment to risk culture / healthism (horizontal axis) and distrust/trust toward health

authorities (vertical axis).

Thus we propose to add to the risk culture/healthism axis a second axis, assessing lay people’s

attitudes toward health authorities and mainstream medicine (see Figure 1)

1.3 Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. What is the Critical assessment and Efficiency of implementing

profile of the evaluation by: free

respondents in vaccination/immunization
 Research
terms of: programs for children with
 Content Analysis
1.1 Gender age 6 months to 16 years old
 Survey
1.2 Age in Brgy. Tanyag, Taguig
Statistical
1.3 Life Estate City despite of the
analysis of data
2. Views on dengvaxia controversy in

implementing terms of preventing and

free vaccination reducing morbidity and

programs. mortality related to

3. Foreseen infectious disease not only

problems to the residents of Brgy.

regarding free Tanyag, Taguig City but

vaccination also in other places that also

programs. implements

vaccination/immunization

program.
1.4 Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to seek answers regarding public trust and acceptance on implementing

vaccination programs for children aged 6 months to 16 years old at Brgy. Tanyag Taguig City,

despite of the Dengvaxia controversy.

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Gender

1.2 Age

1.3 Economic Status

2. What are the views of the residents on implementing vaccination programs.

3. What are the foreseen problems of the residents regarding vaccination programs.

1.5 Hypothesis

1. There is no significant difference between the views of the residents on the implementation of

free vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old in terms of preventing

and reducing morbidity and mortality related to infectious diseases .

2. There is no significant difference between the foreseen problems of the residents regarding

implementation of free vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old.
1.6 Significance of the Problem

This study determined the perception of the residents of Brgy. Tanyag, Taguig City

towards implementing free vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old

despite of the Dengvaxia controversy.

The researcher provided a rational and precise information, study and evaluation of the

policy and advocacy, as an additional definite knowledge required while making this research to

know the different perception of the residents of Brgy. Tanyag, Taguig City towards

implementing free vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old.

The following benefits were gained from this study:

Barangay Administration. This research is beneficial for the barangay administration because

they would increase their awareness and they will be more careful in conducting and receiving

vaccination programs for the welfare and safety of their residents.

Parents. This may be useful to because they will regain again their trust to use the vaccine for

their children.

Children. Mainly, this research is useful especially for their health and awareness because they

are the one who are mainly affected towards vaccination.

Future Researchers. This research is advantageous to future researchers as this will serve as

one of their resources. This may also help them to be a guide of the research that they will

conduct. This study will also serve as basis for further research about implementing free

vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old Brgy. Tanyag, Taguig City.

Researchers. The researchers will enhance their ability to understand a concept. This also helps

them to elevate their mental abilities in terms of gathering data and information. Additionally, to

improve their reading and writing skills.

1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study focused on the perception of the residents towards implementing free

vaccination programs for children with age 6 months to 16 years old at Brgy. Tanyag, Taguig

City, and this is an assessment on public trust and acceptance on vaccination programs due to

dengvaxia scare effect.

Definition of Term/Acronyms

To gain more understanding, the following keywords, terms, phrases, and acronyms used

in the conceptual framework of this research were hereby operationally defined, to wit:

Dengvaxia (also referred to as CYD-TDV), developed by Sanofi Pasteur, is a live recombinant

tetravalent dengue vaccine, based on the yellow fever 17D vaccine strain, given as a 3-dose

series with 6 months between each dose. The vaccine has 4 components, encoding for antigens

of the four dengue virus strains. Dengvaxia is the first dengue vaccine to be licensed.

Vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.

Hesitancy the quality or state of being hesitant.

Morbidity the condition of being diseased.

Mortality is the state of being subject to death.

List of Acronyms

BCG. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

WHO. World Health Organoization

VH. Vaccine Hesitancy

MMR. Measles, Mumps, Rubella

DOH. Department of Health

CHO. City Health Office

DepEd. Department of Education

HPV. Human Papilloma Virus

 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature and Studies

The researcher gathered several books, journals, publications as well as unpublished

researches and studies and will be reviewed in order to understand how they tackled their

respective perception about implementing free vaccination for children despite of dengvaxia

controversy. Likewise, the researchers would like to know the theories they used and the

paradigms they designed in order to solve their respective problems.

2.2 Local Studies

Aika Rey (2018) the vaccine can prevent 11,000 hospitalization and 2,500 severe dengue

cases if given to 1 million children over age 9. But it can also lead to 1,000 hospitalizations and

500 severe dengue cases in children who had no prior infection.

Castillo (2017) doctors have added one more vaccine to their list of recommended

immunization shots for children ages 0 to 18 years old, for a total of 14 vaccinations in all for

Filipino children. The Dengue Tetravalent vaccine, which was made available in the Philippines

early last year, is now on the recently released Childhood Immunization Schedule for 2017. The

guide is prepared annually by the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) along with the Pediatric

Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines and the Philippine Foundation for

Vaccination (PFV).
Doctors from the above groups recommend the dengue vaccine be administered to children 9

years old and above. Three injections (or "doses") are needed to complete the vaccination.

Megacities (2015) the degree of risk to an individual traveler can vary considerably

based on which part of the country one is going to, the duration of that visit, the accommodation,

the time of year, and the kinds of activities one will be participating in. It is important to note

that those who are planning to travel to the Philippines need to consult with a travel medicine

physician to assess the risks of tropical diseases in the country and to get vaccines for these

diseases. However, if you are already in the Philippines and would like to get vaccinations for

certain diseases, you can contact the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) or take a look at our list

of hospitals in the capital.

Valido (2018) conducted a research that aims to illustrate the acceptability of the

dengue vaccine before and after the dengue vaccination suspension in urban poor communities in

Quezon City, Philippines.

There were 12 interviews conducted in November 2017 and 5 focus group discussions in

January 2018, a month after vaccine program suspension with 41 participants. All participants

were selected through purposive criterion sampling. Thematic analysis showed acceptability of

the dengue vaccine was associated with parental experience with vaccination and dengue, trust in

public health institutions and communication received by parents. Post-dengue vaccination

suspension triangulation indicated that the parents regretted the experience, trust to public

institutions was eroded and the communication strategy was deemed inadequate. This led to low

vaccine acceptability post-vaccine suspension.

2.3 Local Literature

ASIA-PACIFIC ANALYSIS: PHILIPPINES’ BET ON DENGUE VACCINE

Asia’s first dengue vaccination programme has been launched and is picking up steam in

the Philippines despite misgivings in some local health quarters.

The Philippines became the first Asian country to license Sanofi Pasteur’s dengue

vaccine, Dengvaxia, last 22 December, following Mexico’s approval of the vaccine on

December 11.

Dengvaxia is a tetravalent vaccine taken in three shots at six-month intervals and is

recommended for individuals aged 9 to 45. The challenge with dengue is to develop a vaccine

that is safe and effective against all four dengue strains. Dengvaxia is assessed to be 90 per cent

effective.

Three Philippine government ministries — the Department of Health (DOH), Department

of Education, and Department of Interior and Local Government — collaborated in a major

launch of the vaccine in Metro Manila on 4 April.

President Benigno Aquino III was also present when DOH secretary Janette Garin administered

the injection on one of the first children to be vaccinated.

PHILIPPINES: WE ARE TURNING INTO A NATION OF ANTI-VAXXERS AFTER

THE DENGVAXIA CONTROVERSY

Only 32% of Filipinos have confidence in vaccines following the recent Dengvaxia

controversy—a dramatic drop in confidence rates that may spell disaster when it comes to

fighting a pandemic, says a new international study.

This alarming drop in public confidence when it comes to vaccines was recorded in a scientific

paper published in the journal Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics.

Thanks to the Vaccine Confidence Project, we see that confidence levels in 2015 showed 93%

“strongly agreeing” that vaccines are important in 2015. In 2018, after the public outrage around

Dengvaxia, the rate is now only 32%.

UNICEF: PHILIPPINES’ IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE DECREASING

MANILA, Philippines — On the occasion of World Immunization Week (April 24 to

30), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the Philippines has released a statement to

draw attention to the importance and shared responsibility for vaccination, to ensure all Filipino

children grow up healthy and protected from preventable diseases.

PARENTS STILL SCARED OF GOVT’S FREE VACCINE A YEAR AFTER

DENGVAXIA SCARE

Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo says only 50% to 60% of children are getting

their scheduled vaccines and this results in outbreaks of preventable diseases.

ILOCOS SUR, Philippines – Almost a year after the Dengvaxia controversy caused a

media frenzy, the Department of Health (DOH) said people are still scared of government's free

vaccines and the biggest losers are Filipino children.

DOH National Immunization Program Manager Maria Silva said on Wednesday,

September 26, parents are still unwilling to have their children immunized in their various

vaccination programs.
PHILIPPINES: KIDS VACCINATION RATE DOWN TO 60% AFTER DENGVAXIA

SCARE – DOH

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) is alarmed as more and more

parents are refusing to avail of the government’s various vaccination programs following the

Dengvaxia mess.

Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo said on Friday, February 2, that only about

60% of Filipino children are getting their scheduled vaccines, when the DOH’s annual

vaccination rate target is around 85%.

The health official made the statement on the same day that the DOH and the experts

panel from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital bared the results of the

analysis of 14 cases of children who died after getting vaccinated with Sanofi Pasteur’s

Dengvaxia dengue vaccine.

Three vaccinated children developed and died of dengue, 9 died due to various diseases

they got after their vaccination, while the cause of death of the last two cases remain unknown.

Domingo explained that parents have become so scared after

Sanofi announced Dengvaxia may lead a person to develop severe dengue if he or she had not

been infected by the virus prior immunization.

The parents are now refusing to avail of free government vaccines that could prevent

their kids from getting other preventable diseases like polio and measles.
2.4 Foreign Studies

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) develops

the Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children, Teens and Adults. The CDC’s

childhood immunization schedule, which is also recommended by the American Academy of

Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, is the only vaccination schedule

that is rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness.

The vaccines recommended in the schedule are carefully timed to provide protection to

children when they are most vulnerable to diseases, and when the vaccines will produce the

strongest response from the child’s immune system. It is therefore very important to follow the

schedule as closely as possible.

According to Vanderslott and Roser (2015) vaccines have greatly reduced the

prevalence of diseases and they continue to be important for global health today. This entry

explains how vaccines work, which vaccines are available and who in the world is protected by

them. We also discuss the consequences of the worldwide rollout of vaccination programs –

including the eradication of diseases.

The basic mechanism by which vaccines work is simple: Vaccines create immunity in an

individual by introducing a weakened or killed form of the pathogen that make us ill – such as

bacteria or viruses – or its toxins or one of its surface proteins. The vaccine induces acquired

immunity so that when your body encounters the real disease-causing agent it is ready to mount a

defense.
 According to Aguiar (2016) with approximately 3 billion people at risk of acquiring the

infection, dengue fever is now considered the most important mosquito-borne viral disease in the

world, with 390 million dengue infections occurring every year, of which 96 million manifest

symptoms with any level of disease severity. Treatment of uncomplicated dengue cases is only

supportive and severe dengue cases require hospital intensive care. A vaccine now licensed in

several countries and developed by Sanofi Pasteur (CYD-TDV, named Dengvaxia), was able to

protect, in the first 25 months of the two Phase III, 66% of a subset of 9–16 year old participants.

However, a significantly lower efficacy (including negative vaccine efficacy) was noted for

children younger than 9 years of age.

Geneva (2018) in addition to saving millions of lives, vaccines will help prevent 24

million people in some of the world’s poorest countries from slipping into poverty by 2030,

according to a study published today in Health Affairs.

The Harvard study, co-authored by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and a wide range of

partners, modelled the health and economic impact of vaccines for ten diseases in 41 developing

countries.

Vaccines will have the greatest impact on reducing cases of poverty caused by hepatitis

B, helping an estimated 14 million people avoid medical impoverishment. Cases of poverty

caused by measles and meningitis A will also be significantly reduced by vaccines, with an

estimated 5 million and 3 million cases averted respectively, while rotavirus is set to prevent

242,000 cases. Measles vaccine is estimated to prevent by far the highest number of deaths: 22

million of the 36 million total.

 According to the study, the poorest 20 per cent of the population represented over a

quarter of deaths prevented by vaccination. The researchers therefore concluded that the

introduction of vaccines in the poorest regions will have the greatest impact on reducing both the

number of deaths and the number of people forced into poverty by the cost of healthcare. The

study underlines that sustained investments in vaccines could therefore make a large contribution

toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage.

Gavi currently supports vaccine programmes in all 41 countries included in the study, which

have a combined population of 1.52 billion.

The countries were selected based on the availability of data from Demographic and

Health Surveys. The researchers made their conclusions after estimating the distribution of

vaccine-averted deaths for each disease and simulating monthly household income for each

income group.

Johns Hopkins University (2016) also published in Health Affairs, found that for every

US$ 1 spent on immunisation, US$ 16 is saved in healthcare costs, lost wages and lost

productivity due to illness. Taking into account the broader benefits of people living longer,

healthier lives, the return on investment rises to US$ 44 per US$ 1 spent.

The study was led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and included

contributions from the Erasmus School of Economics, University of Washington, London School

of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Imperial

College London, the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Bill & Melinda

Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda

Gates Foundation.
 According to Larson (2019) in its 2019 new year message, WHO has named vaccine

hesitancy as one of the world’s top 10 global health threats, alongside air pollution and climate

change, noncommunicable diseases, global influenza pandemic, fragile and vulnerable settings,

antimicrobial resistance, Ebola and other high-threat pathogens, weak primary health

care, Dengue and HIV.

When you look at the list, vaccine hesitancy is directly related to most of them, with

available vaccines for flu, Ebola (albeit still not registered), Dengue (with all its struggles), and

HIV (in trials).

The threats of fragile and vulnerable settings and weak primary health care both affect

hesitancy given low confidence in the system or anxieties in conflict settings. And, as

for antimicrobial resistance, we need vaccines more than ever as we are faced with antibiotics

that no longer work.

While it is a stretch to relate vaccine hesitancy to air pollution and climate change, climate

change will be changing disease vectors and vaccine needs, so vaccine confidence will again

matter to mitigate hesitancy.

2.5 Foreign Literature

NEW QUALITY-CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS ON VACCINES: MICRO AND

NANOCONTAMINATION

Vaccines are being under investigation for the possible side effects they can cause. In

order to supply new information, an electron-microscopy investigation method was applied to

the study of vaccines, aimed at verifying the presence of solid contaminants by means of an

Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with an X-ray microprobe.

The results of this new investigation show the presence of micro- and nanosized

particulate matter composed of inorganic elements in vaccines’ samples which is not declared

among the components and whose unduly presence is, for the time being, inexplicable. A

considerable part of those particulate contaminants have already been verified in other matrices

and reported in literature as non-biodegradable and non-biocompatible. The evidence collected is

suggestive of some hypotheses correlated to diseases that are mentioned and briefly discussed.

VACCINE REFUSAL, MANDATORY IMMUNIZATION, AND THE RISKS OF

VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES

Vaccines are among the most effective prevention tools available to clinicians. However,

the success of an immunization program depends on high rates of acceptance and coverage.

There is evidence of an increase in vaccine refusal in the United States and of geographic

clustering of refusals that results in outbreaks.

 Children with exemptions from school immunization requirements (a measure of vaccine

refusal) are at increased risk for measles and pertussis and can infect others who are too young to

be vaccinated, cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, or were vaccinated but did not have a

sufficient immunologic response. Clinicians can play a crucial role in parental decision making.

Health care providers are cited as the most frequent source of immunization information

by parents, including parents of unvaccinated children. Although some clinicians have

discontinued or have considered discontinuing their provider relationship with patients who

refuse vaccines, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Bioethics advises against

this and recommends that clinicians address vaccine refusal by respectfully listening to parental

concerns and discussing the risks of nonvaccination.

VACCINE TESTING CENTER

The Vaccine Testing Center's team of scientists and researchers are committed to solving

the world’s most pressing infectious disease challenges. Our research spans the translational

spectrum from lab-based human immunology to domestic clinical trials to large-scale

international field research.

Together with national and international collaborators and local volunteers, we help

develop vaccines to address global infectious diseases, including rotavirus, cholera, dengue and

other flaviviruses.
CONFIDENCE ABOUT VACCINES IN THE UNITED STATES: UNDERSTANDING

PARENT’S PERCEPTIONS

Vaccines represent one of the greatest achievements of science and medicine in the battle

against disease. In the United States, the high vaccination rate for routinely recommended

immunizations for infant and childhood diseases has brought about dramatic declines in the

incidence of polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis, and

varicella (chickenpox). In the past decade, recommendations for annual influenza vaccination

have been expanded to encompass all children six months to eighteen years of age, and new

vaccines have been added to the immunization schedule to help protect infants from rotavirus

disease and adolescents from meningitis.

Some experts see the prevalence of concerns, fears, and misinformation about vaccines in

new and traditional media as an indication of declining confidence in vaccines, both in the

United States and internationally. Other signs of reduced confidence in the United States include

survey data indicating that many parents question health care providers during children’s

immunization visits and reports that children’s vaccinations are delayed; books and articles

advocating alternative vaccination schedules; the relatively low vaccination rate during the 2009

H1N1 (swine influenza) pandemic; and increases in the availability and use of exemptions to

school requirements for vaccinations.

Parental acceptance of routine childhood immunization is essential to protecting

children’s health and the foundation for high vaccination rates.

But maintaining that acceptance can be difficult—especially because the success of the

immunization program in the United States has resulted in new generations of parents who have

little or no firsthand experience with most of the diseases that are preventable by vaccination.

This study examines the notions of confidence in vaccines and hesitancy about their use,

building on recent efforts to understand parents’ beliefs and behaviors related to routinely

recommended childhood immunizations. Using data from the 2010 HealthStyles survey of

consumers, this study focuses on parents of children age six years or younger. To look for signs

of reduced vaccine confidence or increased immunization hesitancy, the study examines the

parents’ immunization intentions and behaviors, concerns about vaccines, and ways of finding

information about immunization.

FINANCING IMMUNIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATE

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) noted that a successful immunization program requires

financing of vaccines and of their delivery; surveillance of vaccine coverage, adverse events, and

disease; and implementation of interventions that maximize vaccine impact—all of which rely on

a base of adequate financing.

The introduction of new vaccines that cost more than “traditional” vaccines has highlighted

weaknesses in the current mechanisms for financing immunizations and raised concerns about

how newer vaccines can be paid for.

This article reviews the history and current situation of financing of vaccines and of their

administration. Child and adult immunization will be dealt with separately. The article does not

address financing of vaccine research and development.

Manufacturers' willingness and ability to support research and development of new vaccines

depends, at least in part, on return from sales of existing vaccines.

2.6 Synthesis

In a country where a quarter of its population, roughly over 25 million people, live in

poverty and cannot afford decent meals, let alone avail themselves of health services, preventing

infections and diseases is the best strategy to ensure that people stay healthy and in good

condition.

Considered an important component of preventive health is vaccination or immunization.

It is a widely accepted practice in the world, yet many still doubt if it is safe and effective.

Vaccination or immunization is the process of creating immunity or protection against

a particular disease. Immunization service is one of the most important and equitable

preventive health care service made available even to population in areas that are hardest to

reach. Each year, millions of children and adults are receiving vaccinations that help protect

them from infectious, sometimes deadly, vaccine preventable diseases. These include, but not

limited to, polio, measles, tetanus, Hepatitis B, Rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, pneumonia, and

others.
 As it prevents disease, disability and deaths, immunization also contributes to

economic growth. During outbreaks, the public health system spends time tracing potential

contacts, collecting and testing blood samples, engaging the public for awareness and

dissemination of information, and organizing outbreak response and money for hospital

treatments. Immunization helps remove the burden both from the health system and most

especially from the poorest of families.

The Philippine government first approved the vaccine’s use in December 2015, along

with Mexico and Brazil. Eight other countries followed suit in 2016, namely, El Salvador,

Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala, Peru, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. By October

2017, the vaccine had been approved in 19 countries. More than 700,000 schoolchildren, nine

years old and above, in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, have received at least

the first of three injections of this first-ever licensed dengue vaccine. It is natural for parents

to worry. In all likelihood, the parents won’t allow their children to get the next injections.

More importantly, they will want to know what recourse they have in the event of a dengue

infection.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) is alarmed as more and

more parents are refusing to avail of the government’s various vaccination programs

following the Dengvaxia mess.

This is a very complex issue — one that involves longstanding debates in medical

research, public health policy, corporate profitability and responsibility, and politics. It is

extremely important for us to fully understand the terms of this latest clinical finding before we

start getting panicky, passing judgment, and exacting accountability.

 The researchers gathered rational and precise information to provide and to bring all

facts to people. Why? Because the researchers want to inform the parents and guardians that

vaccination has a huge contribution to our life because it help us to prevent some of the diseases

that may cause or result danger or lead us to death. The use of vaccination is very helpful and

vaccine can lead to healthy and long life. It’s natural to be afraid about the potential risks of

vaccine. Hence, one of the purpose of the researchers in conducting this study is to rebuild the

trust not only for the respondents of this study but also for all the Filipinos out there who have

been affected by the scare effect due to dengvaxia controversy. Now let us open our eyes and

mind. Let us not be afraid to our own fears and doubts just because of one mistake which is the

dengvaxia mess that happened.