Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca assured local government units (LGUs) that there are no problems in supplying Covid-19 vaccine shots despite reports of the firm’s restriction for vaccine delivery, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said Wednesday.
“We inquired with AstraZeneca, they said that na walang problema sa kanilang nafo-foresee with regards to supplying with the commitments they have with LGUs in the Philippines,” said Belmonte in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay, reacting to reports that AstraZeneca would limit its delivery for promised vaccines to the European Union by March because of production problems.
(AstraZeneca told us that they do not see any problems with regards to supplying with the commitments they have with LGUs.)
“If there is a problem, it is their duty and responsibility as stipulated in the contract that they should also inform us,” the mayor added.
In the same press conference, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco said AstraZeneca’s vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country by July this year.
Meanwhile, both Metro Manila mayors said they have the budget to procure vaccines from other authorized pharmaceutical firms in case there are issues with the British firm’s vaccine supply.
“Mag-order kami ng iba’t ibang brand kasi hindi naman natin kontrolado yung sitwasyon, (We will order vaccines from other brands because we cannot control the situation),” said Tiangco when asked if they are prepared in case AstraZeneca fails to deliver vaccines.
“Nandiyan naman ang budget and we have been actively seeking out other pharmacies,” Belmonte said.
(We have a budget and we have been actively seeking out other pharmacies.)
As early as mid-January, LGUs in Metro Manila and outside the metropolis sealed agreements with AstraZeneca for their mass immunization program against Covid-19.
Navotas is set to acquire 100,000 doses while Quezon City will receive 1.1 million shots from the British pharmaceutical company.
JPV
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