Aimed at addressing vaccine hesitancy, three town hall meetings on the conduct of the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Vaccine Trials (SVT) have been scheduled starting tomorrow, January 29, Department of Science and Technology (DoST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said Thursday.
The DoST top official said that the Task Group on Vaccine Evaluation and Selection (TG-VES), in cooperation with the Task Group Demand Generation and Communication, have organized the town hall meetings "specific on clinical trials.”
The DoST chairs the TG-VES.
He said tomorrow’s town hall meetings at 4 p.m. will benefit leaders of local government units (LGUs) in trial sites. These include local chief executives and barangay captains.
Dela Peña said two town hall meetings are scheduled next week.
On Monday, Feb.1, city health officers, barangay health workers (BHWs), and health staff in trial sites are expected to attend the 4 p.m. town hall meeting.
While health care workers in hospital sites will be accommodated during the town hall meeting on Feb. 2, Tuesday.
Dela Peña cited that the Philippine WHO Solidary Vaccine Trial (SVT) team have already started the lecture training about the protection, safety, and well-being of the participants as well as how adverse events should be recorded and reported during the vaccine clinical trials.
He said the lecture training is part of the preparatory activities while awaiting the final Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and specific protocols from WHO.
He disclosed that a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has been signed between the DoST and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) which outlines the partnership between the two agencies for the conduct of the WHO SVT.
"Also, the DoST, as chair of the Task group on Vaccine Evaluation and Selection (TG-VES), already sent a follow-up letter to the WHO Country Office regarding the final start date of the Solidarity Vaccine Trial in the Philippines,” Dela Peña said.
According to the DoST chief, the WHO-Philippines is yet to respond to the letter.
He said WHO might make an announcement on the trials either "tomorrow or during weekend."
Last week, Dela Peña bared that the letters signed by vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and the Guidelines for the Local Government Units’ Assistance on the Implementation of the WHO SVT were already sent last Jan. 3 to the mayors where the vaccine trials will be conducted.