 |
| Janette Garina and Atty. Persida Acosta. Composite photo from ABS-CBN News |
It can be recalled that Public Attorney's Office Chief Persida Acosta and Forensics Chief Dr. Erwin
Erfe spearheaded the examination on the body of those who have been vaccinated with Dengvaxia and later died, claiming that said vaccine was the culprit.
As several diseases reemerge in the country, Cong. Garin congratulated the people she blames as the ones who paved the way for unwelcome comeback of the deadly illnesses such as dengue, measles, and now polio.
According to her, the country already managed to eradicate and lessen these diseases years ago. She also hoped that may everyone learn from this tragic event, noting that proper help can only be sought from real experts.
“I congratulate the alarmists and the pseudo-experts. You have brought back several diseases that we have managed to eradicate and lessen years ago. May we all learn from what is happening now. Let us not listen to non-experts and may the media lessen exposures for them. We have real experts who we can tap in times like this. Let us give the proper airtime to them,” the Iloilo Representative said.
 |
| Rappler photo |
 |
| ABS-CBN News photo |
“I would also like to remind everyone that vaccines were invented to save lives. Vaccinate your children, #VaccinesWork,” she added.
Garin emphasized that the country has been polio-free for 19 years with its last case reported way back in 1993.
“The resurgence of Polio is a measurement of the effectiveness of fake news being spread by fear-mongers against vaccines and a testament to the new challenges public health is facing,” said Garin.
“Vaccine hesitancy has increased since non-experts have started talking, claiming they knew everything about the dengue vaccine. They plastered their faces and spewed lies after lies feeding the media. They frightened the people of an effective vaccine which is now being used in 21 countries including the US and the EU,” she continued.
The latter claimed that it resulted to Filipinos fearing to go to their doctors and to the Barangay health centers to vaccinate their children.
“Thus, a massive coverage reduction leaving all of us at high risk. We just experienced the measles outbreak, Japanese encephalitis outbreak, and we are still combatting the dengue outbreak and now we are faced with polio resurgence all because fake news about vaccines flourished. School based immunization has also been compromised,” Garin claimed.
“Health leaders should have placed measures to prevent resurgence. Experts should have been utilized and mobilized. However, threat of cases being filed for those who speak up the truth made many experts meek and the DOH was filled with demoralization,” she added.
 |
| Philstar photo |
