House inquiry on PH’s COVID-19 vaccination program pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo filed Wednesday a resolution calling for an inquiry on the status of the national government’s COVID-19 vaccination program, as well as the utilization of funds allocated for its purchase.

Under House Resolution No. 1455, the House committee on good government and public accountability is directed to conduct the said probe and allow Congress to provide the necessary oversight “to ensure sufficient capacity for nationwide distribution and an overall cost-effective implementation.”

In the resolution, Quimbo pointed out the need to “ensure the cost-effectiveness of the vaccines to be procured in order to maximize resources, as well as to ensure proper distribution nationwide and long-term monitoring.”

“A cost-effective vaccine program is needed to ensure that confidence levels among consumers, workers, and businesses are restored to pre-pandemic levels, so that economic recovery targets are attained in a timely manner,” Quimbo said.

“In a decentralized system where local government units and the private sector shall also be participating in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide, government must ensure information systems are in place for the proper and timely monitoring of vaccine supplies and inoculation,” the lawmaker added.

In a separate statement, Quimbo said it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure that no funds allocated for the vaccines are put to waste.

“While there are reported negotiations ongoing with various pharmaceutical firms to acquire vaccines, I believe a clear plan is needed for how to maximize available funds across vaccine types, and to provide guidance on the amount of funds still needed. It is important to identify which vaccine brands are the most cost-effective,” Quimbo said.

Among the questions that have to be answered, Quimbo said, include concerns on the vaccine distribution plan across the different regions, the cold storage capacity for the vaccines, and manpower and training.

“The various ongoing efforts to obtain and distribute vaccines at the national and local level, as well as by the private sector, highlight the need for a coordinated system of monitoring,” Quimbo pointed out.

“Further, since there is much we still do not know about the vaccines’ long-term effectiveness, continuous monitoring will be critical for the program over time,” she added.

The Senate is set to hold its own inquiry on the national government’s COVID-19 inoculation program on January 11.

KGA