The Department of Health (DOH) wants to limit wastage in the government’s Covid-19 vaccination drive to just 5 percent.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire disclosed this is the “acceptable” range of wastage the government could incur especially since there is short supply of Covid-19 vaccine.
“We have to keep it as minimum as possible, because every dose will count because of this COVID-19 vaccines which is needed badly by all of us Filipino,” Vergeire said.
Possible wastage
She said vaccine wastage is possible if an eligible beneficiary backs out or becomes unqualified from the inoculation drive; if the vaccine is not properly stored; or there are lapses in the administration of the vaccine.
The health official said they are trying to minimize this risk by having “alternative recipients” during the day of the deployment of the vaccines; providing the necessary training the vaccinators; and having the appropriate storage facilities for the vaccine.
The government is scheduled to start the mini roll out of its Covid-19 vaccination drive this month, which is expected to benefit around 60,000 health care workers.
It is negotiating to secure over 170 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, which will be enough to immunize 92 million Filipinos.
Vaccination update
In a related development, Vergeire said their ongoing second phase of its vaccination drive for measles rubella and polio are already 10 percent complete.
The DOH spokesperson said they were able to vaccinate 545,614 children, who are aged 59 months to 9 years old.
They were also able to inoculate 499,573 children against polio using oral vaccine.
DOH started the second phase of its Measles Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-OPV-SIA).
It is targeting to immunize 5.1 million children against measles-rubella and 4.8 million children from polio through the said initiative.
The second phase of the MR-OPV-SIA cover Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALBARZON, and the Visayas, while its first phase covers Mindanao, Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, MIMAROPA, and Bicol Region.
