DepEd Reinforces Monitoring of Learners Who Received DOH’s Dengvaxia | DepEd Memo

PASIG CITY, December 10, 2017 – To help allay fears of parents of children who have been immunized with Sanofi Pasteur’s dengue vaccine, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones issued DepEd Memo 199, series 2017 (DM 199), or the Monitoring and Surveillance of Learners who have been Administered with Dengvaxia Vaccine.

DepEd, DOH, and the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG), through the local government units (LGUs), shall jointly implement a strong monitoring and surveillance system to ensure the condition of learners in the National Capital Region (NCR), Regions 3 and 4A, and 7 who received the vaccine.

While focus is on the four regions that piloted the DOH program, other regions shall also be involved to observe the health of learners in both private and public schools who may have been given Dengvaxia by private practitioners and through community-based vaccination.

DM 199 directs all school administrators and school health personnel to review the master list of inoculated students, regardless of the number of doses received, identify them for close monitoring for any symptom, and initiate referral report.

Involvement of parents and teachers is also crucial in facilitating the strengthened monitoring and surveillance system. They may help by reporting cases of vaccinated students with fever to the text line that DOH will set up. Health workers of rural health units (RHUs) shall act on these text reports. Furthermore, parents are encouraged to participate in forums on the vaccine program and information drive against dengue in the community, which will be conducted by schools and trained health coordinators.

School administrators are likewise enjoined to strictly adhere to the 4S Strategy and the provisions of DM 152, s. 2011, or Preventing Dengue in Schools, to ensure the regular conduct of vector control measures to eliminate mosquitoes in the school environment.

Source: DepEd Press Release
Dec.10, 2017

To read the DepEd Memo, Click the link below.

DepEd Memo 199, s. 2017
Monitoring and Surveillance of Learners who have been Administered with Dengvaxia Vaccine

To: Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public Elementary School Heads
All Others Concerned

1. The Department of Education (DepEd), in close coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), through the Local Government Units (LGUs) shall implement a strong monitoring and surveillance system for learners who have been vaccinated with the dengvaxia or dengue vaccine.
2. Regions III, IV-A, VII, and National Capital Region (NCR) shall be the focus of the strengthened surveillance system but other regions will also be involved to ensure that learners in public and private schools given the dengue vaccine by private practitioners and the community based vaccination will be included in the surveillance.
3.  The following shall be undertaken by school administrators and school health personnel:
   • a. The schools of Regions III, IV-A and NCR are enjoined to review the Master list of learners given the dengue vaccine (regardless of the number of doses), and flag these children for very close monitoring for any symptoms of fever and initiate the referral report when necessary. Other regions who did not implement the School Based Dengue Vaccine Program are likewise advised to conduct an assessment from among the nine-year old and above learners of Grades 4-6, who might have been vaccinated by private practitioners and the community based vaccination done in NCR communities and the Cebu Province of Region VII and flag these children for close monitoring also.
   • b. DepEd and DOH, in coordination with the LGUs will establish a coordinated surveillance and referral system (fastlane) for vaccinated children.
     • i. Each school in Regions III, IV-A, NCR and Cebu Province of Region VII will be matched with Rural Health Unit (RHU). Schools will refer vaccinated students with fever to the RH  and RHU personnel will assess the learners and manage accordingly.
     • ii. DOH will set up a reporting text line, which parents and teachers can use to report vaccinated learners with fever. Text reports will be acted on by the health workers of the RHU.
     • iii. DOH is considering extending financial support for RHU/ hospital admissions of vaccinated children with fever for observation, subject to DOH Administrative Order for the matter.
   • c. All school administrators nationwide are reminded and enjoined to strictly adhere to the provisions of DepEd Memorandum No. 152, s. 2011 entitled Preventing Dengue in Schools to Ensure that Schools Regularly Conduct Vector Control Measures to Eliminate Mosquitoes in the School Environment. This is also to emphasize the urgency of the anti-dengue drive through the 4-S Strategy, which stands for Search and Destroy, Seek early consultation, Self-protective measures, and Say “no” to indiscriminate fogging.
   • d. Schools in coordination with trained health coordinators of the community are encouraged to hold parents’ fora especially for parents of vaccinated learners to allay their fears and provide proper information on the vaccine program. These fora will also be an avenue to involve the parents in the surveillance, monitoring, and reporting of dengue symptoms in the community.
4. Field officials especially school administrators are enjoined to mobilize health personnel and teachers to implement the instructions contained on this Memorandum.
5. I mmediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

Source:  DepEd Memo 199