DOH supports audit of COVID-19 vaccine deals
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said it supports the move to conduct a special audit of loans granted by lending institutions for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.
In a briefing Friday, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said it asked the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit of vaccine procurement deals.
COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba earlier said the agency may issue a notice of disallowance on the government’s procurement of COVID-19 jabs if the DOH would keep the documents related to this confidential.
According to Cordoba, the DOH invoked non-disclosure agreements with vaccine manufacturers to keep documents related to their purchase out of the hands of state auditors.
“Certainly, we will support and cooperate with this audit process. We just need to ensure that we won’t violate the signed non-disclosure agreement,” Vergeire said.
Disallowance, as defined by COA, is the “disapproval in audit of a transaction, either in whole or in part.” — Gaea Katreena Cabico with report from Xave Gregorio
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