Sis of gov’t doc who died after receiving Dengvaxia files complaint vs Garin, Duque
Credit to Author: acerojano| Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2019 10:07:24 +0000
MANILA, Philippines – The sister of a government doctor who died months after receiving the Dengvaxia vaccine has accused the Department of Health (DOH) of ignoring their pleas for help.
Cristina Gotoc, a US-based nurse, said her brother, Dr. Kendrick G. Gotoc, was supposed to move to the US with her.
“Yung kapatid ko po sana pupunta na sa Amerika. Hinihintay ko po sya. Sabi nya sa akin ‘ate malapit mo na ako maging doktor jan’,” Cristina said quoting her brother. She works as a nurse in the US.
“[Last year] naka-receive kami ng tawag, dying na daw po ang kapatid ko. Parang wala na syang pag-asa dahil naturukan sya ng Dengvaxia…Humingi kami ng tulong sa DOH pero wala daw po silang panahon sa amin,” she told reporters.
Cristina accompanied her mother, Norma, along with the Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violations of the Anti-Torture Act and Consumer Act against former health secretary Janette Garin and current Health Secretary Francisco Duque III since it was during his watch when the victim received his vaccine.
Other Health officials, as well as executives of Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and distributor Zuellig Pharma, have been included in the complaint.
Dr. Kendrick G. Gotoc, 39, died on April 22, 2018. He received three doses of Dengvaxia. Based on the forensic gross examination conducted by the Public Attorneys’ Office’s (PAO) Forensic Laboratory as well as histopathological studies, he suffered multi-organ dysfunction and hemorrhage. The immediate cause of death was multi-organ failure. He also had no history of dengue, like the other recipients whose death was attributed to the vaccine.
Based on the affidavit of his mother, her son told him that he himself received the vaccine before they administered it to schoolchildren.
This was the 31st case filed before the DOJ on the Dengvaxia controversy.
The DOJ, through a panel chaired by Assistant State Prosecutor Maria Emilia Victorio, already concluded the preliminary investigation on the first batch of cases involving the deaths of nine schoolchildren – Aejay Bautista, Angelica Pestilos, Lenard Baldonado, Zandro Colite, Abbie Hedia, Jansyn Bataan, Mark Axel Ebonia, Rey Justin Almagno and Alexander Jaime.
A separate investigating panel chaired by Senior Associate Prosecutor Susan Dacanayhas also concluded the PI in the second batch of cases involving eight victims – Clarissa Alcantara, Christine Mae De Guzman, Erico Leabres, Roshaine Cariño, Naomi Nimura, John Paul Rafael, Michael Tablate and Christine Joy Asuncion.
Meanwhile, the DOJ has yet to start the preliminary investigation on the third batch of cases involving 13 victims – Wiljen Alcontin, Eleazar Brigoli Jr., Trishanne Asona, EJ Christian Apa, Joaniña Cortes, Gladimeir Juevesano, Kianah Mae Racuya, Adeline Castroverde, Jessica Viaros and Senior Police Officer 2 Vicente Arugay; Shiela Mae Guerra and Gillian Vasquez; and Kristen Jean Martira./ac