Philippines may secure 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by next year, says Galvez

December 22, 2020

The Philippines may secure 60 million doses of vaccines against the coronavirus disease next year, an official said.

In a televised meeting on Monday night in Davao City with President Rodrigo Duterte, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr, who is also the vaccine czar, said of the expected doses, 30 million would come from Novavax Inc. based in India.

"This is an American brand that will be made in India," he said, adding that they would talk with a country representative of Serum India Institute on December 23.

By next week, either December 28 or 29, Galvez said the government might sign a contract with the Ministry of Health Regulatory Authorization of United Kingdom for 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca. Of the 30 million, 10 million doses would be for the local government units and the private sector.

"So, all in all, if we're going to have the contract signing this coming month, we will have 60 million (doses) for the second quarter and third quarter," the official said.

Meanwhile, Duterte said there are no available Pfizer vaccines yet for the Philippines.

"We seemed to be a second fiddle in these negotiations for the acquisition of vaccine," he said.

He said this was because manufacturers like Pfizer would supply rich countries, such as the United States, first.

"Let us be clear on this, there is as yet no Pfizer vaccines available for the Philippines. And for a long time, there's none. All the Americans are still being vaccinated. They are now competing in America. So that explains why there is delay as what Secretary Galvez has said," he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, however, was being accused of "dropping the ball" on why the Philippines failed to secure vaccines from Pfizer as early as by January next year. But Duque denied the allegation. Celerina Monte/DMS