The Department of Health (DOH) still needs more than Php 10 billion to procure the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine for Filipinos.
According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the country needs around Php 12.1B to vaccinate 20 million Filipinos including priority sectors such as health workers, indigent senior citizens, and the marginalized. Currently, the health department has only around P2.5B. This is not enough to give 2 doses of vaccines to Filipinos.
DOH USec. Vergeire has also stated that several lawmakers have committed to redirect the Php 10B-unprogrammed funds of the department.
The DOH has pointed out that enough funding is important for the government’s response against the COVID-19 pandemic, not only for the procurement of vaccines but also for its storage and distribution.
Report from Mark Fetalco
