Palace backs proposal to tap pharmacists, midwives for COVID-19 vaccination program

Malacañang on Monday supported a proposal to allow pharmacists and midwives to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the inoculation program would need a large pool of vaccinators. The Philippines aims to vaccinate up to 70 million this year alone.

Roque cited the case of the United States, which has enlisted medical and nursing students for its vaccination program.

“Dapat gawin din po natin dito,” he said at a news conference.

Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said over the weekend that they were studying the possibility of allowing pharmacists and midwives as long as the vaccination is under the supervision of a physician.

Around 25,000 people are undergoing training to administer vaccines, said Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the government’s vaccine czar, last week.

The government has identified a total of 4,512 fixed vaccination points in the country where COVID-19 immunization will be conducted, according to the DOH. —Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News