Nueva Ecija orders 300,000 doses from AstraZeneca

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, Philippines — The Nueva Ecija provincial government has secured 300,000 doses of vaccine from British pharmaceutical AstraZeneca in a tripartite agreement with the national government, the province’s chief executive said.

Gov. Aurelio Umali said the vaccines can immunize 750,000 residents.

He said the provincial government realigned budgets, such as the allocations for the special education fund, for the procurement and has been assured of more funds from the provincial board. He added that he would coordinate the vaccine rollout with Nueva Ecija mayors.

The national government will take care of inoculating poor families entitled to stipends from the Pamilyang Pantawid Pilipino Program, as well as front-liners.

“The national immunization subsidy will cover more or less 900,000 residents of Nueva Ecija,” Umali said. —ARMAND GALANG