Duterte orders DILG to report LGUs mishandling vaccines
Following the reported mishandling of coronavirus vaccines by some local government units (LGUs), President Duterte tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to oversee the transport and distribution of the vaccines to various parts of the country.
“Wala akong problema ‘yang diretso sa local governments. Ang problema ko is ‘yung (I don’t have a problem if it goes directly to the local governments. The problem is) handling, Sir. There’s always the time of the essence so there has to be a time frame for that for everything from handling to the transfer. Sir, I would insist that the DILG would be part of the supervisory team,” Duterte said during the second part of his prerecorded public address aired Tuesday, May 18.
The Chief Executive was referring to National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. as “Sir” when he gave the directive.
Duterte noted the DILG, headed by Secretary Eduardo Año, can tap the the Philippine National Police (PNP) for assistance to ensure the proper handling of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Gusto kong malaman rin ni (I want) Secretary Año (to know) if everything is done according to what has been planned. So pag-aralan anong plano dito (study what’s the plan here) and they can point out if there is a lack of whatever in the handling and the observance of all rules that would ensure the integrity of the vaccines,” he said.
“Secretary Año can use the police or whatever as long as there’s always a third person or a second guy to see to it that itong (this) chain of events must be followed and there's no faltering as it would affect the integrity of the (vaccines),” he added.
The President issued the directive after it was reported that some 348 vials of COVID-19 were lost in Makilala, North Cotabato after a freezer was left unplugged for two days following a power outage.
It was also revealed during last week’s public briefing of Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire that some LGUs are using food cold storage refrigerators to store COVID-19 vaccines.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/05/15/doh-reminds-lgus-to-separately-store-covid-19-vaccines-and-food-items/
During last Monday's briefing, Galvez called on local government units to tap the services of third-party cold-storage providers to avoid wastage and ensure the efficacy of the vaccines.
"Ang balak po namin ang warehouse diretso sa warehouse ng LGU. Kaya po nananawagan kami sa LGU na kailangan mayroon sila talagang professional na mga third-party provider (Our plan is from the warehouse it goes directly to the warehouse. That’s why we are calling on the LGU to really have third-party provider),” he said.
"Para mangyayari po, iyong sa cold-chain lalo na iyong Pfizer. Kasi iyong Pfizer po, nakita ko po talaga, Mr. Mayor, talaga pong napakahirap talagang i-handle. Konting mali lang, magkakaroon tayo ng wastage. So pati po paggamit ng syringe, makukuha natin iyong from five doses to six doses. Kaya kailangan talaga may professional handler tayo, Mr. President (So, what would happen the cold-chain is for Pfizer. Because I really see, Mr. Mayor, the difficulties in handling Pfizer. There will be wastage for a small mistake. So including the use of syringe, we can get from five doses to six doses. That’s why we really need professional handler, Mr. President),” Galvez added.