MY dear brothers and sisters, it has been confirmed by the Department of Health (DOH) that there’s an outbreak of measles or tigdas in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Western and Central Visayas. If the fast spread of this virus is not prevented, it may cause complications such as pneumonia, blindness and, in worst cases, even death. This virus is dangerous, especially for children who have not been vaccinated.
According to the DOH, over 400 cases of measles have been recorded in Metro Manila, and five of the patients have died. Almost 600 cases in Calabarzon, with nine deaths. In Central Luzon, four among the 200 cases of children with measles also perished. In Western Visayas, not lower than 100 cases of measles were recorded, with three deaths. In Central Visayas, one died out of 71 cases.
The refusal of parents to have their children vaccinated has been cited as the culprit. This was confirmed by the low vaccine coverage of the DOH in 2018, reaching only about 40 percent of targeted children, quite far from the 90-percent target. A study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that only three out of 10 Filipinos currently have trust in vaccination. According to this study, the “highly politicized response” of the government has not succeeded in helping on the controversial vaccine for dengue, Dengvaxia.
This is still what doctors and professionals from the field of medicine say, like the Doctors for Truth and Welfare. They blame the head of the Public Attorney’s Office, Atty. Persida Acosta, and the head of forensics of the PAO, Mr. Erwin Erfe, on the waning trust of the public toward vaccination. We may remember people from the PAO related the Dengvaxia to over 100 cases of deaths of children, even without scientific basis. They stood by this statement regardless of the questions by experts from the Philippine General Hospital. PAO also filed a case against the former health secretary and other officials of the DOH, including former President Benigno Aquino, proof that the PAO was politicizing the public health issue.
Brothers and sisters, it is important for us to know the truth behind the deaths of the children as pointed out by the PAO, and those behind the vaccination programs must take this to account if Dengvaxia is causing danger in our children’s lives. But this will not be helped if it is mixed with politicizing, and these cases of dead children are used to oppose the administration in politics. The measles outbreak is proof of how politics affect the loss of trust of the public to vaccination against dangerous illnesses and viruses.
It is clear that there is a lack of control of the government on this controversy. They allowed PAO to use the issue to wrong the administration. Like what was emphasized in social teachings from the Church, man is the foundation and the reason for having a political community. Pope Francis once said, “When the exercise of political power aims only at protecting the interest of a few…the future is compromised.” Many children are suffering today because of the selfish interests of some people in government.
My brothers and sisters, may this reply from the government regarding the Dengvaxia issue serve as a lesson to all of us.
Make it a habit listening to Radio Veritas 846 “Ang Radyo ng Simbahan” in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph and follow its twitter and instagram accounts @veritasph and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For your comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.