Health Ministry says dengue vaccines not yet included as part of dengue control programme

The Ministry of Health in a press statement, issued Thursday, said it has “noticed an article published in the Village Voice on August 24, 2023 in which it asserts that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has procured dengue vaccines and keeping it a secret.” This Village Voice News’ article, which can be read here, never stated the Ministry has procured vaccines and keeping it secret. The article explicitly stated the government “made no mention of the fact that there are vaccines available to prevent the disease,” and sought to educate readers of the available vaccines.

Dengue is a serious illness. Guyana has so far registered more than 3400 persons have contracted the vector borne illness, more than 2000 active cases remaining, and children have died as a result of the infection.

As a socially responsible entity this publication takes seriously its duty to inform, educate and report the truth and facts, fearlessly. This publication stands by its story, which the ministry has confirmed, i.e., there are vaccines for dengue.

The Ministry’s full press statement follows: –

THE MOH HAS NOT YET INCLUDED DENGUE VACCINES AS PART OF THE DENGUE CONTROL PROGRAMME

(August 24, 2023) – We noticed an article published in the Village Voice on August 24, 2023 in which it asserts that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has procured dengue vaccines and keeping it a secret. It makes no sense that the MOH would secure vaccines and keep it a secret. This is simply a reckless report designed more to create confusion and to mislead the public.

To make it pellucidly clear, the MOH has not procured any dengue vaccine for use in the National Dengue Control Programme.

The use of dengue vaccine in the Dengue Control Programme is under serious consideration in Guyana, but a decision is yet to be made whether Guyana will introduce dengue vaccines as part of the fight against dengue. Once a decision is made, Guyana will procure adequate supply of dengue vaccines.

It should be noted that while the dengue vaccines presently being marketed – Dengvaxia from Sanofi Pasteur and Qdenga from Takeda – are licensed in a small number of countries, they have not yet been prequalified by WHO.

None of the WHO, the US CDC and the EU regulatory authorities have recommended these vaccines for universal administration. In the small number of jurisdictions around the world where the vaccines are used, they are only used under very restrictive conditions.

The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization has been studying the dengue vaccine data and Guyana is awaiting the recommendations coming out of the SAGE Group.

As soon as the SAGE comes out with its recommendations, Guyana will work with PAHO/WHO to include dengue vaccines in our fight against dengue. Guyana’s FDA is prepared to license dengue vaccines as soon as a decision is made to use these vaccines.

We urge media personnel and media management to desist from circulating false information on matters affecting people’s health.

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To know more about Dengue read here  

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue