City councilor bats for Dengvaxia

ROXAS City, Capiz – Councilor Cesar Yap Jr. added his voice to calls to allow the use of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

“Mr. Chairman, what if Dengvaxia was not stopped?” Yap asked in his privilege speech during their regular session this week.

Yap cited the alarming spike in dengue cases and the fact that 21 countries, including the United States of America, are using Dengvaxia.

Dengvaxia maker Sanofi had reported that the vaccine may lead to severe dengue in persons who had never been infected.

“Then what about those with previous disease who want to protect themselves from future dengue infections of other strains?” Yap asked.

Yap also said in a radio interview that the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 8, 2019 classified Dengvaxia as an essential medicine against dengue.

He also noted Malacañang’s openness to use Dengvaxia so long as it benefits Filipinos.

The Department of Health said it will study the possibility of reintroducing Dengvaxia to the public.

To buttress his point, Yap committed to use Dengvaxia once it is made available to prove its safety.

Yap said freedom of choice is the foundation of the Dengvaxia issue saying doctors and patients should be given the choice “not the color of clothes to wear – blue, red, or violet; not the food to eat, but a choice between life and death!”