CHR calls for equal distribution of and access to COVID-19 vaccines

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Saturday called on the national government to make sure there will be "equal distribution of and access to" COVID-19 vaccines.

CHR Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana in a statement said the commission made the call as more local government units in urban centers and metropolitan areas have been "lining up to gain immediate and priority access to Covid-19 vaccines seemingly ahead of others."

"It is the responsibility of the national government to make sure that vaccines must be as accessible for Filipinos in urban cities as well as those situated in far-flung areas of the country where there is a known cluster of infected population," Gana said.

"There may be local government units with a host of infected residents who may not have resources to urgently procure vaccines. The national government must step in to maintain a balanced access to the Covid-19 vaccines," she added.

The CHR also said the distribution of vaccines should "ensure the rapid, coordinated, and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for all Filipinos wherever they may be residing in the country."

This means the vaccine is made available to a person in Metro Manila at the same time it is made available to someone in Sulu, it added.

"From a human rights perspective, equitable vaccination promotes and protects public health of the entire nation for 'no one will be secure until everyone is secure,'" the CHR said.

Gana added that it is the government's obligation to uphold the people's right to health, and this includes a vaccination program. 

"Since a vaccination program is part of the government's obligation to uphold the people's right to health, it must then also adhere to the  standards of availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality," she said.

"Such standards include the people right to know and be assured of a vaccine's effectiveness and that it is scientifically and medically appropriate and of good quality," she added.

However, if the government cannot roll out the vaccination program for all in one go, "then it must work for its progressive realisation—efficiently and effectively, in partnership with possible sectors, and to the best effort and resources it can devote—until we ensure that no one gets left behind," Gana said.

"An efficient vaccination system promotes the universal quest for everyone to be accorded the right to a standard of living adequate for one’s health and well-being, especially in the aspect of medical care. An effective national vaccination strategy is a vital component of an efficient national  health care program, and an undeniable human right," she added.

Vaccine supply

The national government has been negotiating with COVID-19 vaccine makers such as US drug maker Novavax and British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.

The bulk of the COVID-19 vaccines that will be available in the Philippines will be the ones developed by Novavax, around 30 to 40 million doses, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said on Monday.

"[For] Pfizer, we are negotiating for higher volumes more or less 40 million and Astrazeneca 25-30 million doses, and Sinovac and Gamaleya for 25 million each," he added.

Last November 27, the country secured 2.6 million doses through a tripartite agreement between the national government, private sector and AstraZeneca.

Seventeen million more doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines were secured on Thursday.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said that the rollout of the COVID-19 mass vaccination program in the country is expected by February, using vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinovac and AstraZeneca, and will have health workers as first priority.

A number of local government units have also ordered COVID-19 vaccines for their residents, allocating funds for the purpose. 

The Philippines’ COVID-19 cases jumped to 496,646 on Friday.

Of this number, 459,737 have recovered, while 9,876 died. —KG, GMA News