The Department of Health (DOH) said there is no oversupply of COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.
DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the agency is open to investigation and to explain to the Senate the issue of alleged vaccine wastage.
“We do not have oversupply… Pag tiningnan po natin ang mga estima, kaya tayo bumili niyan kasi binilihan natin ang ating populasyon ng Pilipino. Nagkataon, pagdating ng mga bakuna rito, marami ang nagkaroon ng hesitancy,” she said.
The DOH said the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is among the regions that need strengthened vaccination rollout due to low uptake, especially on booster shots.
Aside from vaccine hesitancy, the DOH also mentioned vaccine accessibility in the region’s far-flung areas.
The health department is planning to return to BARRM to encourage more individuals to get vaccinated and administered with booster shots. Health officials will also be visiting vaccination sites as part of the ‘PinasLakas’ campaign.
Based on DOH data, more than 300,000 individuals have already received their booster shots under the campaign, while over 2,000 senior citizens have been given complete doses since July 26.
Dr. Alethea De Guzman, Director IV of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, cited vaccination as a factor behind the lower COVID-19 hospital admissions amid the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Sa NCR, bumagsak na tayo to less than 100 cases per day, pumapalo na naman po tayo to around 800 cases per day. Pero ano ‘yung naobserbahan natin pagdating sa admissions? Kung anong taas ng kaso, hindi siya masyadong sinundan ng pagtaas ng ating mga admissions,” she said.
The DOH urged the public to receive COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots amid the resumption of face-to-face classes and the opening of more establishments. —Report from Mark Fetalco/KC-ag
