The Philippine government is expecting drawbacks in its Covid-19 vaccination drive this month over global vaccine supply issues, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Tuesday.
“Nakita po natin talaga na mayroon pong problema iyong tinatawag nating global supply even alam natin sa India, sa Europe or even sa US. So ang naano po natin ngayon ay talagang ginagawa po natin ang lahat ng magagawa, may mga diplomatic relation natin ngayon para makapag-produce tayo ng AstraZeneca vaccine,” he said in a Palace briefing.
The country has received about 2.25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses so far.
“Umaasa po kami na mayroon po tayong makukuha considering that mayroon din tayong
procurement. And rest assured na we will do our best na iyong second dose ng 525,600 doses ay magagawa po natin iyan,” Galvez said.
Galvez earlier said the government was expecting to inoculate 500,000 to one million individuals weekly in April.
The figure was expected to increase to two to three million weekly in June and July and three to five million weekly from August until December.
Health officials have repeatedly said that the government was targeting a “better Christmas” this year after they failed to deliver on the same promise last year.
The country was supposed to receive three million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccines, but the number was slashed to only 500,000 due to supply issues.American vaccines, meanwhile, are expected to arrive in May. John Ezekiel J. Hirro