Philippines Vaccine Scandal 101 East

When the Philippines rolled out a vaccine to protect against the mosquito-borne virus, dengue, in 2016, it marked a world first. But within months, parents claimed their children had died due to the vaccine, and the programme was cancelled.

The damage was done. As fierce opposition to vaccinations spread throughout the country, preventable diseases like polio and diphtheria re-emerged, while a deadly measles epidemic killed hundreds of young people.

As companies race to find a COVID-19 vaccine, the Philippines’ government is desperately trying to convince people existing vaccinations are safe. Tweet