PH vax program to be under proposed Center for Disease Control

The proposed law on the creation of the Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC) will serve as the COVID-19 vaccination program's legal basis after the expiration of the declaration of state of calamity on December 31,2022, Senator Pia Cayetano said Thursday.

The lawmaker disclosed this during the continuation of the Senate plenary deliberations on the proposed 2023 national budget.

During the session, Senator Risa Hontiveros asked the Department of Health's (DOH) plan on the nearing expiration of the declaration of the state of calamity considering that Republic Act 11525 or the law on the COVID-19 Vaccination Program was hinged on this.

Cayetano, who defended the DOH's budget, said that the CDC bill will include a provision that will authorize the government to purchase vaccines and other medical needs to address health issues, such as the COVID-19 even without the declaration of a state of calamity.

"What is important about that bill is, it includes provisions that authorize DOH and the CDC, which we'll eventually create, to--despite the absence of a declaration of a state of calamity-- to do what is necessary, which will include the purchase of the vaccines and whatever else is necessary to address the health needs," she said.

Hontiveros welcomed the "innovative idea" but expressed concern if the CDC bill would be legislated  before the expiration of the declaration of the state of calamity.

Cayetano said that the DOH was assured by the lawmakers in a  Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting  that they will make the CDC bill a priority.

Last week, the House of Representatives health committee approved an unnumbered consolidated bill establishing the CDC in the country.

In August, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire asked Congress to extend the validity of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act, saying its provisions would become invalid once the state of calamity is lifted.

Under Section 17 of RA 11525, the act shall remain in full force and effect during the period of the state of calamity as declared under Proclamation No. 1021 dated September 16, 2020 issued by the President of the Philippines.

Hontiveros likewise inquired about the funding for the COVID-19 vaccines procurement in 2023.

The minority lawmaker pointed out that if the state of calamity will not be extended and the CDC bill will not be enacted by January 1 of next year, then there might be no legal basis for the vaccine procurements.

Cayetano said the DOH still has an inventory of COVID-19 vaccines and there is at least P3.4 billion loans to purchase at least five million doses of bivalent vaccines.

Apart from this, Cayetano said there are loans that are available from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank and the COVAX facility had also committed to give bivalent vaccines to the Philippines in 2023.

Asked if the DOH is confident with its plans for continuation of the COVID-19 vaccination program, Cayetano answered in the affirmative.

"They are confident... They have sufficient funding for the purchase of COVID vaccines including the new bivalent kind of vaccine," she said.

She added that the DOH's "game plan" is to procure vaccines in tranches as the agency is "very mindful" of the wastage.

"They're pretty much set as the need arises," she said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News