A recent controversy involving the DOH deworming medicines is circulating online. There are questions from netizens, whether the deworming medicines issued to various public schools in the country are expired. The controversy started when Grade School students in three provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula suffer from vomiting, stomach ache, and dizziness.
The Department of Health through Secretary Janette Garin denies the allegations that the medicines were expired. According to a report posted by Rappler, more than 1,000 grade school students were rushed to hospitals in Dipolog City for various reasons after taking the alleged “expired” medicine given by the DOH during a nationwide deworming activity on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.
The DOH released an official statement on Wednesday night confirming the incident, they noted that a total of 1,225 students consulted with health authorities following the deworming activities while 86 were confined for further treatment.
Rappler also revealed through their news report that an angry parent showed the package of the alleged “expired” medicine which was administered to the students.
The medicine Albendazole, Benzol 400-milligram chewable tablet indicate that the medicine was expired based on the package. The package was marked, “Exp. Date: Dec ’12,” or three years past its shelf life.
The DOH denied the “expired” allegations on their deworming tablets, in a statement, DOH Secretary Garin said that the symptoms experienced by some of the students are “normal effects” which had been “checked by the DOH, the DFA and the WHO.”
