Probe vaccine wastage reports reaching P5 billion-P13 billion: Hontiveros
Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution in aid of legislation to investigate reports of unused and expired COVID-19 vaccines, saying this large-scale wastage should never be tolerated.
The move comes on the heels of public reports of unused and expired COVID-19 shots reaching billions of pesos, way beyond the estimated figures of inevitable vaccine wastage.
According to various reports, between April to July, it is possible that there were between 4 million to 27 million of unused and expired doses bound to be thrown away, which is equivalent to P5 billion to P13 billion.
"Of course, may mga vaccines na alam nating hindi magagamit dahil sa iba't ibang dahilan. May margin of error naman talaga. But in this case, goodbye agad sa halagang bilyun-bilyong piso? Mukhang magtatapon tayo ng pera at bakuna sa kabila ng mabilis nanamang pagtaas ng mga COVID-19 cases," said Hontiveros.
The resolution also stated that it is imperative for the government authorities to strive for less COVID-19 vaccine wastage, to accurately and transparently report vaccine wastage, identify drivers of wastage, and implement effective interventions to reduce it.
"Saan ba nagkamali o nagkulang sa proseso? Sa pagplano sa pagbili? Sa roll out? Sa paglabas ng guidelines? Bottom-line, sayang ang pera o supply, kanino man yan kasi. Kasi pinagtrabahuhan natin ang pondo na yan. Tapos, ang ending, itatapon lang pala?," added the Senator.
"Napakaraming sektor na walang humpay sa paghingi ng ayuda sa gobyerno, tapos itong namamahala sa ating mga bakuna, magtatapon lang pala ng pera. Kung alam lang natin na ganyan ang kahihinatnan, dapat ibinigay na lang natin ang pondo sa ibang sektor na lubhang apektado ng pandemya, tulad ng mga magsasaka, mga mangingisda, mga drayber, at frontliners," Hontiveros said.
The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to administer COVID-19 booster shots to 11 to 23M fully vaccinated individuals within the first 100 days of the new administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
"Huwag sana nating sayangin ang tiwala at pagtatyaga ng ating mga kababayan na makiisa sa national vaccination drive. Kailangang maturukan ang ating mga kababayang nais maprotektahan ang kanilang mga sarili laban sa COVID-19." Hontiveros added.
"Palaging inaanunsyo na ang dami-dami na nating bakuna, pero hindi naman sa procurement natatapos ang kwento. Baka naman may oversupply na tayo kaya may hindi nagagamit at nasasayang. Wag naman sanang ipangalandakan na dinaig pa nila si Asyong Aksaya. Dapat may managot dito," Hontiveros said.
