Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 26) — Officials clarified on Tuesday that the Philippines will still receive from the COVAX facility COVID-19 vaccines for 20% of the Philippine population. But the vaccine allocation for 5% percent of the country will not be for free, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said, noting a “drawdown” in COVAX funds.
Galvez and the Department of Health assured the country already has funds for 5% percent of the populace.
“Nagkaroon ng drawdown sa kanilang funding. I believe meron naman tayong [fund] allocation doon,” he told a forum.
[Translation: There was a drawdown in their funding. I believe we have fund allocation for 5% of our population.]
“The budget for the 5% has been secured,” DOH said in a statement on Monday.
Galvez earlier announced they were expecting to receive free COVID-19 vaccines for 15-16% of the country’s population, instead of 20%.
COVAX is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization with the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations that aims to ensure equitable access to coronavirus vaccines.
Another way the coronavirus vaccines will reach Filipinos is through procurement, which is being handled exclusively by the national government, although tripartite agreements can be entered into by the private sector and local government units.
The country seeks to buy 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from seven frontrunners in the COVID-19 vaccine race, such as US-based Pfizer and British firm AstraZeneca, to immunize up to 70 million Filipinos this year.
Galvez said the country is still on track to receive 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. He was reacting to reports that the pharmaceutical giant will delay its vaccine delivery to European Union nations during the first quarter of 2020 due to an issue in manufacturing. But in case AstraZeneca announces there will be delays in the shipment of its vaccine to the Philippines, another firm may fill the gap, he said.
“We are negotiating just in case magkaroon ng downsizing yung manufacturing ay pwede tayong humingi ng tulong doon sa Serum Institute of India,” he said.
[Translation: We are negotiating just in case there would be downsizing in manufacturing of AstraZeneca vaccines. We can ask the Serum Institute of India for help.]
He noted the Serum Institute of India is producing vaccines made by AstraZeneca and American vaccine developer Novavax.
