House panel to reopen Dengvaxia probe on Nov. 20, 21

The Department of Health (DOH) has since suspended the anti-dengue immunization drive, after pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur said Dengvaxia could worsen symptoms in vaccinated children who contracted the disease for the first time. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability on Sunday said the joint inquiry into the controversy surrounding the previous administration’s purchase of PHP3.5-billion worth of dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, is set for November 20 and 21.

In an interview, Camiguin Rep. Xavier Romualdo said the committee will still thresh out other concerns and issues regarding the Dengvaxia mess.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to tie up loose ends and get a more complete picture of why and how the government procured the vaccines and rolled out the vaccination program and if offenses were committed by the officials involved in the process,” Romualdo said.

He noted that the panel will finalize the committee report that has not yet been approved when it was formerly headed by Surigao del Sur Johnny Pimentel.

The House committee on good government and public accountability held several joint hearings on the controversial anti-dengue vaccine with the House committee on health, chaired by Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan.

Under the term of President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines became the first country in the world to launch a public inoculation plan against dengue in April 2016.

The Department of Health (DOH) has since suspended the anti-dengue immunization drive, after pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur said Dengvaxia could worsen symptoms in vaccinated children who contracted the disease for the first time.

More than 700,000 Filipino school children had already received their Dengvaxia shots by the time the DOH suspended the immunization drive.