Duterte orders massive vaccination drive

‘Some 27 million vaccines expire in July’

DAVAO CITY – President Duterte has ordered a last minute massive vaccination campaign after reports claim that some 27 million Covid-19 vaccines purchased by the government will expire in July.

Duterte was also quick to say that it is not the government’s fault to buy vaccines proportional to the number of people that would be vaccinated. He then blamed the people for refusing to be vaccinated.

He said the government will try to maximize the use of the vaccines and donate them to countries with low vaccination coverage to avoid wastage even though that many provinces in the country, especially in the Muslim autonomous region, lack the needed vaccines.

Duterte said the government can carry out a last minute vaccination drive, going house-to-house to deliver vaccines especially in the countryside. He also warned communist insurgents not to hamper government initiative to reach more unvaccinated people.

“Kayong mga NPA, huwag ninyong barahin ‘yung mga tao na aakyat diyan especially the health workers. Sa totoo lang on grounds of humanity, eh kung gusto ninyo magpabakuna, ipasali ko kayo pero huwag ninyong — do not derail the program,” he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said has confirmed that about 27 million vaccines will expire in July.

Duterte said: “So itong mga bakuna mag-expire either ibigay natin ito sa mga countries na wala pa or siguraduhin natin na ano na lang — we'll embark on a program last minute na mag-house-to-house na lang sa mga barangay. At ‘yung hindi pa nabakunahan — marami pa ‘yan — kailangan lumabas na at magpabakuna sila,” he said during his Talk to the People briefing.”

“So there is enough — they say there’s an excess. There is no excess actually. Binili natin ‘yan sa numbers. Ngayon kung ‘yung mga tao ay nagtatago o ayaw, mas mabuti na lang ‘yan kay gusto nilang magpabakuna o kailangan mabakunahan tapos wala. Eh mayroon nandiyan na ‘yan and we will try to maximize the use o utilization of the vaccines especially that ‘yung expiry date nila malapit lang,” he added.

The president said the government is not expecting 100% vaccination coverage, adding “at least the vaccines are here and ready to be utilized.”

Duque said the country’s vaccine wasting rate is at 1.54% and it is far below the World Health Organization’s 10% suggested wastage rate. He said to widen vaccine coverage, the National Vaccine Operations Center has tapped pharmacies and clinics and tied up with the transportation sector, adding the local governments also conducted house-to-house vaccination to reach senior citizens and people with disability, especially in remote areas. (Mindanao Examiner)