DOH finalizes arrangements to donate COVID vaccines to Myanmar, Papua New Guinea
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is finalizing arrangements to donate COVID-19 vaccines to Myanmar and Papua New Guinea.
Without giving an exact figure, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday said that some of the excesses in the country’s vaccine stockpile will be donated.
“Nakita naman natin that (We saw that we are) in excess naman tayo sa ngayon (as of now). So, we are going to donate the other vaccines that we have right now,” she said in a media forum.
“Nakikipag-usap tayo ngayon (We are in talks now) to finalize arrangements so that we can provide or donate vaccines to them. This would be in Myanmar and in Papua New Guinea,” Vergeire shared.Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion recently revealed that 27 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are set to expire in July, with millions of eligible citizens yet to receive a booster dose.
Last March, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that there is a “dramatic decline” in vaccinations in the country.
Based on DOH’s latest data, 66.2 million individuals in the country are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Of which, 12.2 million received their booster shot.
