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Wanted: Philippine Vaccine Czar
MANILA, Philippines – The country needs a “vaccine czar” to handle the challenges of “import to injection” to secure COVID-19 vaccines for the 110 million Filipinos, a senator said yesterday.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has urged Malacañang to appoint the country’s vaccine czar now, as it is an urgent need in a world where the rich countries that fund the development of these vaccines will get them first.
“Appointing the vaccine czar as soon as possible will also drive the establishment of a ‘cold supply-to-syringe chain’, as vaccines must be transported and stored at freezing temperatures in a tropical country that lacks the infrastructure to do so. Recto said.
Although 170 candidate vaccines are in various stages of development, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that only about two billion doses can be implemented by the end of 2021.
“How much is left for the Filipinos? The countries that have invested billions in their development have strong orders, so they are first in line. Where do we meet in that long line? “Straight said.
Another obstacle, he said, is that countries that have developed vaccines can give in to pressure from “country first” from their own people and practice “vaccine nationalism.”
“Against this hurdle, we need a Filipino of world stature, excellent connections and diplomatic skills to order successfully and outsmart the competition,” he said, adding that it is not a job for amateurs.
The other problems are “insular in nature” after the arrival of the first batches of vaccines, he said.
“First is the selection. Because the first wave really has an element of rationing. Who will choose? What will be the selection guideline? It is already decided that the medical staff will be first in line. Who will be the next? Straight said.
He posed more questions such as: “If vaccines will be licensed to be produced here, do we have the infrastructure for that? And how fast can we increase production? “
Then the next big challenge is how to get the vaccines to 110 million people in an archipelago that lacks cold storage and transport facilities, Recto said.
“Like any frozen delicacy, the vaccine must be refrigerated. Filling the gap in the cold chain ranks high in the many tasks of the vaccine czar, ”he said.
Recto cited the recent warning from logistics giant DHL that “temperature requirements are likely to be the main challenge” for the launch of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Pharmaceutical giant Moderna said its vaccines should be stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Pfizer, on the other hand, has notified the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that its vaccine must be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius.
Recto said recent annual immunization campaigns by the Department of Health (DOH) had reached no more than 15 million, “far from the universal coverage goal of 110 million.”
“Delivery is just one aspect. Post-inoculation monitoring is not included because even experts say that a vaccine that is 100% safe and efficient will be a difficult target. The vaccine czar really has a lot of work to do, ”Recto said.
Malacañang has included P2.5 billion for the purchase of vaccines in the 2021 budget, which Recto described as “more of a measure to provide appropriation coverage for a program so that it can be increased later.”
“But its price of P307.50 per dose, or P615 per person because it takes two doses, I hope it will come true, because it is cheaper compared to the projected price quoted in the news reports,” he said.
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