Ex-DOH chief Ona: Implementation of Dengvaxia program a big question mark

Health Secretary Enrique Ona (Photo: www.doh.gov.ph)

The implementation of multi-billion-peso immunization program of the Department of Health (DOH) is a big question mark, said Former Health Secretary Enrique Ona as he faced the Senate blue ribbon committee for the first time on Monday, January 22.

Ona slammed the Aquino administration, saying that the Dengvaxia program should not have been implemented the way it was done, taking into consideration the large targeted number of children under the program.

“This should have not been implemented the way it was done. Meaning, targeting almost a million children because the basis for the issues that were being raised were still a big question mark,” said Ona.

When asked by committee chair Senator Richard Gordon if he would recommend the use of the vaccine if he were still the Health Secretary, Ona said he would not do so because the “red” or “yellow” flag was “very clear” already.

“Ibig pong sabihin dapat pag-isipan po nang husto kung i-implement po ‘yun. [This means they should have thought hard before implementing it) If I were the Secretary of Health, I would not implement it in that extent],” he added.

The Department of Health (DOH) spent P3.5 billion on the immunization program for one million public school children in the National Capital Region, Region 3, and Region 4A.

Ona then put the blame on his successor Janette Garin, saying that the leadership that took over the DOH after he left in 2014 are solely responsible for all the decisions in the health department.

“In light of this Sanofi Pasteur advisory on the use of anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, the leadership that took over the DOH after I left in December 20, 2014 are solely responsible for all the decisions that has resulted in what was becoming to be a major health nightmare in the country,” Ona said.

For the record, the government has earlier halted the dengue immunization program after Sanofi warned that according to a new clinical analysis, the said dengue vaccine is more harmful to individuals without prior dengue infections.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also ordered the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur to suspend its distribution, sale, and marketing of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in order to protect the general public, following the publication of the possible health risks of the vaccine.