Galvez reminded the private companies against vaccine resale and “privileged access” to vaccine supply.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reminded the private companies against vaccine resale and “privileged access” to vaccine supply.
In a report on Manila Bulletin, Galvez said that private firms must ensure the “equitable distribution” of their procured COVID-19 vaccines and avoid giving “privileged access” to such supply.
Also, Galvez reminded private companies against the resale of COVID-19 vaccines, asking them to ensure that the inoculation of their workers were free “as much as possible”.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier allowed the private sector to import COVID-19 vaccines “at will” for their employees in order to hasten the country’s vaccination efforts.
However, the private sector must still forge a tripartite deal with the national government and the supplier since COVID-19 vaccines were so far only approved for emergency use (EUA) and not for commercial use.
“Very specific sa tripartite agreement that there will be no diversion, there will be no resale at saka talagang ano po natin doon is equitable distribution, no privileged access. Wala pong commercial terms, dahil iyong mga vaccine po natin ay emergency use pa lang po. Ang ginagawa po natin ay ina-allow lang po natin na iyong mga company nagpo-pool in sila ng kanilang mga resources to buy the added volume,” Galvez said during an online press briefing last Thursday.
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Galvez recognized that workers have requested for the inclusion of their family members in the country’s vaccination program of the private sector.
Also, Galvez noted that the COVID-19 vaccines can be made available at cost price or without profit since some companies can’t afford to shoulder extra vaccine supplies.
Earlier, President Duterte ordered Galvez to sign documents allowing private sector to import COVID-19 vaccines regardless of amount and quantity.
The said move sought to boost the country’s vaccine supplies and to ramp up the vaccination of Filipinos from the coronavirus disease. Authorities earlier explained that the national government needed to cover the indemnity in case of adverse side effects from vaccination.
A law, recently signed by President Duterte, established a PHP 500-million indemnity fund for vaccine recipients that experience adverse side effects.
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