The Philippines had secured 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to senior officials.
Senior officials on Friday said that the Philippines would get 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine under the country’s first supply deal for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Joey Concepcion, a government business adviser representing the private sector, said that the said supply — to be paid for by the private sector — would inoculate more than one million Filipinos as AstraZeneca’s vaccine required two doses.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said that authorities were also negotiating with the British drugmaker a possible purchase of a further one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
During the signing of the tripartite agreement between the Philippine government, AstraZeneca, and the private sector, Galvez called the initiative “a significant development” because it provided an equitable access to COVID-19 vaccine, backed by reputable institutions, and the British drugmaker’s provision scheme wasn’t for profit.
“We have confidence in the vaccine made by AstraZeneca. We are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. We would like to thank the private sector because they assured us of at least 2.5 million vaccine doses for next year,” he added.
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For Concepcion, the Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, such initial concerns on AstraZeneca were part of the process and didn’t change the credibility of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
“It is worth the risk to put the bet on this and I think they will come through,” Concepcion said.
Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez earlier said that the Philippines would need PHP 73 billion to procure a COVID-19 vaccine for 70 percent of the Philippine population which was at 110 million.
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