MANILA — The government’s 4S strategy is not enough to resolve dengue, according to House Deputy Majority Leader and former Health Secretary Janette Garin.

The strategy involves searching and destroying mosquito breeding grounds, such as removing stagnant water and containers; self-protection, such as using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants; seeking early consultation for symptoms; and supporting fogging or spraying in local hotspot or outbreak areas that registered a rise in dengue cases.

The Department of Health recorded a "slight increase" in dengue cases amid the rainy season.  Based on the agency's data, "the number of cases have started climbing slightly by around 10%"-- from 5,547 cases listed last May 5 to 18, 2024 to 6,082 cases from May 19 to June 1.

“They keep on saying that dengue can be resolved by 4S. ‘Yung patayin ‘yung mga lamok, maglinis ng palibot. Pero the World Health Organization has repeatedly said na ilang dekada na ‘yang ginagawa, it's not enough. Kasi mas mabilis ang pagbago ng mga lamok kesa sa pagpatay at paghabol natin sa kanila,” Garin said in a press conference on Thursday.

She urged the government to make the new vaccine against dengue available even to the private sector, once approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa expects the anti-dengue vaccine developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda to be approved by the FDA within the year.

Asked to compare its efficacy with Dengvaxia, which was previously used in the Philippines, Garin said:“Pare-pareho namang okay. Lahat ng bakuna kasi may pros and cons”.

Launched in April 2016 under then-Health Secretary Garin, the school-based immunization campaign became controversial when its maker Sanofi Pasteur announced in November that year that its Dengvaxia vaccine could pose risks for those who had no prior dengue infection.

The announcement led to congressional probes and several criminal cases filed by parents of dozens of children, whom they claimed died due to Dengvaxia

The Food and Drug Administration in 2019 permanently revoked the certificate of product registration of Dengvaxia.

Garin sees the previous vaccine scare and infodemic to be among the biggest challenge in rolling out the new vaccines against dengue.

“The greatest dilemma is that vaccine scare was created. Nagkaroon ng infodemic, and even Secretary Herbosa, if he was quoted well, was being quoted as saying na nagkaroon daw ng deaths due to Dengvaxia. That is wrong. Hindi totoo ‘yan,” she said.

“For example, he was saying testing is needed prior to vaccination. Eh wala namang test na available… ‘Pag andyan na ‘yung Takeda, sasabihin nila, ay hindi kami magpapabakuna kasi hahanapin muna namin ‘yung test prior to vaccination that is not in existence,” the lawmaker added.