Tap ice cream makers for storage of COVID-19 vaccines, Tolentino tells DOH

The Department of Health should explore the possibility of partnering with ice cream manufacturers in the Philippines for cold storage of COVID-19 vaccines, Senator Francis Tolentino said on Friday.

During a Senate hearing on the DOH's proposed P203.74 billion budget for 2021, Tolentino asked how the agency plans to ensure that the vaccines will not be spoiled for lack of proper storage.

"Where should be the appropriate warehousing for these? Hindi po ito pupwede sa refrigerator natin. You need a specialized freezer with a -80°C capacity to [keep] these vaccines for two weeks and kung lalampas po doon tapon po lahat 'yun, sayang ang pera," the senator said.

Health Undersecretary Carol Taiño said the warehousing allocation under the 2021 budget is not intended specifically for the COVID-19 vaccine.

She added that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine has a vaccine storage facility.

"You will have to transfer that from the airport, to a truck and then to the point of clinical utilization, dadalhin mo sa Cebu, dadalhin mo sa Zamboanga. Ang RITM po nasa Muntinlupa," Tolentino said in response.

Realizing that there had been no allocation for cold storage of COVID-19 vaccines, Tolentino made an out-of-the-box proposition.

"I am offering a policy solution. Why don't you at this earliest stage, touch base with Magnolia Ice creams, Selecta Ice creams, and all other ice cream manufacturers to utilize their ice cream storage facilities?" he said.

"Ang worry ko lang dito baka dumating tayo sa yugto na nilagay na lang sa mga cooler, nilagay na lang sa mga styro na may yelo. Hindi po puwede 'yun," he added.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government actually has ongoing coordination with the private sector in the pharmaceutical and logistics industries to address this concern on cold chain storage and distribution.

He added that different brands of COVID-19 vaccine that would come out could have different specifications and requirements.

The panel requested the DOH to give an update regarding plans for the cold storage of vaccines when they come back for the Senate plenary debates.

Last week, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said they don't have a budget for such in 2021 even as President Rodrigo Duterte wants to convert police stations into COVID-19 vaccination centers.—LDF,GMA News