The Philippines secures another 17 million dose of AstraZeneca

On 14 January 2021 the Philippine government announced it has secured another 17 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from British-Swedish pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.

According to Philippines News Agency, The Philippine government, local government units (LGUs), private sector donors, and AstraZeneca signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to secure additional doses of coronavirus vaccine as the country prepares for its immunization program this year.

At a private sector-led A Dose of Hope program, Lotis Ramin, AstraZeneca Philippine country president said, “AstraZeneca maintains our strong commitment to ensuring equitable access to the vaccine at no profit for the duration of the pandemic. We are working closely with regulatory authorities to ensure that the Covid-19 vaccine lives up to the highest safety standards and its introduction complies with healthcare regulations in the Philippines,”

He added that AstraZeneca is currently working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “on the preparations for a swift yet thorough science-led Emergency Use Authorization review”.

“These vaccines are really the way forward in helping our Filipino people save lives and livelihoods,” he said.

A Dose of Hope program is an initiative of the private sector, led by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, to donate Covid-19 vaccines.

In November 2020, more than 30 members of the private sector also committed to donate 2.6 million Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca.

In the second wave of the donation, more than 300 private sector donors committed to shoulder the acquisition of more vaccines from the European pharmaceutical company.

Concepcion also thanked National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. for allowing the LGUs to be involved in procurement for AstraZeneca’s vaccine.“The Philippines definitely will not be left behind in this fight. We will be vaccinating our Filipino people hopefully starting June (or) July,” he said.