Philippines indemnity plan now with COVID-19 vaccine maker Pfizer, says WHO

The Philippines' indemnity plan is now in the hands of COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Pfizer, the World Health Organization has said.

According to Lei Alviz's exclusive report on "24 Oras", the COVAX Facility is expected to send more than 100,000 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines to the country once the firm signs off on the Philippines indemnification measures.

"We believe that that was the last standing requirement and it should now be reviewed by Pfizer and COVAX and we are hoping for a positive feedback from them," WHO country representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said.

There is still no definite date as regards when the initial 117,000 doses will arrive in the country.

"Hopefully later this week or at the latest next week. I can't give you a timeline because that depends on the manufacturer," Abeyasinghe said.

The WHO official said the Philippines had requested 900,000 doses of Pfizer's vaccine and low dead space syringes.

Low dead space syringes ensure less wastage per vial. It can make five-dose vials yield one more or six doses.

No law, no delivery

The country's lack of an indemnification law—a measure ensuring compensation for individuals who develop serious side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine—has delayed the delivery of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines.

At a Senate panel hearing last week, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine could have been delivered to the country as early as February 12 if the Philippines had its own indemnification law.

The Philippines is expected to receive at least 5.6 million doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines within the first quarter of 2021, with the initial batch of 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines arriving this month.

Galvez has been calling on Congress to pass an indemnification law, which he said is required by COVAX, the globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Indemnification deal

With the law still being crafted in Congress, the Philippine government proposed an  agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech that would ensure compensation for Filipinos who will experience serious side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“As reported by Sec. Galvez, our vaccine czar, the indemnification agreement with Pfizer is being reviewed by our team and should be finalized in a few days,” National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy implementer Vince Dizon said in a message to reporters.

“This will allow us to complete the documents needed for the delivery of the 117,000 Pfizer doses from the COVAX facility,” he added.

Bills have been filed in Congress for the creation of an indemnity mechanism but presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte would not immediately certify them as urgent.

No certification as urgent

He said that certifying proposed measures as urgent did not guarantee quick passage into law by Congress.

“Ang mas importante ay ang mensahe ng Presidente sa Kongreso na ito po ay urgent at priority ng administration dahil kung wala ito ay baka maantala ang pagdating ng bakuna galing sa Covax facility,” Roque said on Friday.

“Bagamat I was assured na hindi kinakailangan ipasa ‘yung batas, kinakailangan lang na simulan lang ang proseso para mapadala na ‘yung bakuna ng COVAX facility,” he added. -NB, GMA News