Cebu health team probes Dumanjug baby’s death amid vaccine concerns

Local

HEALTH authorities in Cebu have launched a fact-finding investigation into the death of a baby in Dumanjug after the family expressed concern over a possible connection to the child’s recent measles-rubella (MR) vaccination.

Dr. Sheila Faciol, chief of the Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO), said a team was deployed to Dumanjug a day after the office received the report.

“We received the report yesterday and right away today, our team is already in Dumanjug investigating the case,” Faciol said during the Hisgutan Ta! Media Forum on Thursday, Aug. 27,

The PHO team is gathering information from the Dumanjug Rural Health Unit and Barili District Hospital, where the child was brought. Faciol said the investigation is expected to provide a report that will help health authorities assess the circumstances surrounding the death.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Dumanjug Municipal Health Office (MHO) said the child died on Aug. 24 after receiving an MR vaccine on Aug. 10.

The incident prompted concerns from the family about whether the vaccination may have played a role in the child’s death.

The MHO said it promptly notified the Department of Health Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (DOH-RESU) and coordinated with both the DOH and PHO for further assessment.

It emphasized that no determination has been made linking the vaccine to the death.

Health authorities said establishing whether there was a connection would require an examination of the child’s medical records, health condition, and other pertinent circumstances surrounding the case.

The Dumanjug MHO also appealed to the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified claims while the investigation is underway.

It likewise asked the public to respect the privacy of the bereaved family and said information confirmed through the proper investigation will be released once available.

The investigation comes as Cebu continues its MR vaccination drive for children aged six months to 59 months. The campaign began Aug. 10 and was originally set to run until Aug. 28, with an extension being considered.

Faciol said Cebu Province's campaign coverage remained low at 19.7% as of Thursday, despite the ongoing efforts to encourage parents and caregivers to have their children vaccinated.

She acknowledged that vaccine hesitancy, fueled in part by misleading or false information circulating on social media, remains a challenge for health workers.

Still, the PHO intends to sustain its vaccination campaign and community-based efforts. Faciol cited a recent Cebu Caravan in Tabuelan where 10 children received the MR vaccine.

“We will not back down. We continue to encourage our mothers to have their children vaccinated,” she said.(MyTVCebu)