Galvez: More vaccines arriving this month

MANILA, Philippines — More vaccine doses will be delivered to the country before September, according to National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr.

“We will get five million more vaccines this week,” Galvez said during the symbolic vaccination in San Mateo, Rizal attended by representatives from local government units (LGUs) and the private sector.

Galvez earlier revealed that three countries have pledged to donate millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses to the country. These countries, which he did not identify, would donate 1.5 million and one million doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, respectively, while the third might share three million doses.

The Emir of Qatar has approved the donation of 50,000 vaccine doses to the Philippines, through the Qatar Fund for Development headed by Aisha Alkuwari. Under the deal, Qatar will wire transfer $450,000 directly to Sinovac under a supply agreement with the Philippine government.

The donation was made possible through the efforts of Amb. Amable Aguiluz V, special envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, Ambassador of Qatar to the Philippines Dr. Ebrahim Almalki, vaccine czar Galvez, Finance Usec. Mark Joven, Usec. Rigoberto Borje, Dir. Carissa Cruz, Sen. Bong Go, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

The Philippines has so far received donated vaccines from China, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the COVAX Facility, a World Health Organization-led initiative that seeks to ensure equitable access to vaccines, especially for poorer nations.

Since the country began its mass inoculation campaign on March 1, 30 million vaccine doses have been administered, with 13 million Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The government aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people before year-end to achieve herd immunity.

For his part, NTF against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon emphasized the need for LGUs to synergize their efforts amid the rising COVID-19 cases due to the more contagious Delta variant.

“Right now, the NCR needs its neighboring provinces like Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna to unite because the problem in the surge of the Delta variant is all our problem,” Dizon said.