DOH quizzed about disposal of expired COVID-19 vaccines
Sen. Francis Tolentino, chair of the blue ribbon committee, presides over the investigation Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 on the Department of Health’s (DOH) failure to release the details of the COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Senate)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Tolentino prodded the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday to look for ways to properly dispose of 44 million doses of expired COVID-19 vaccines because of the potential risks they pose to health and safety.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing, panel chairperson Tolentino quizzed the DOH on how they dispose of expired vaccines.
“What are we going to do with this 44 million?” Tolentino said in Filipino during a hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, which he chairs.
“Are we going to use them as fertilizers? Are we going to turn them into asphalt? How are we going to use them environmentally? Is this considered hazardous waste? Where do we dump this including the vials? Where do we throw this away? Are we going to bury them? What are we going to do with them?”
“This may contribute to climate change if we just throw it away,” he added.
Dr. Joyce Ducusin, who is the officer in charge of the DOH Supply Chain Management Service, said that the vaccines were disposed of through a third-party logistics firm, Integrated Waste Management Inc.
Tolentino said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources would be invited to the next panel hearing to shed light on the matter.
Meanwhile, Vince Dizon, National Task Force deputy chief implementer and former chair of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, said that the disposal site is New Clark City in Tarlac.
Tolentino pointed out that the area is near the Athlete’s Village.
“Our athletes train there. They jog there. They sniff the air around there. They may get high with the virus that will be dumped there,” he said.
The panel is looking into the DOH’s nondisclosure of details of COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts.
