Vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez will be flying to India next week to negotiate the procurement of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the American vaccine maker Novavax and being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SSI).
In an online press briefing on Monday, the chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 said he will be in India from March 9 to 12 for the expected signing of the supply agreement for the said procurement.
The supply agreement is the final phase of the government’s vaccine procurement process.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Galvez was originally scheduled to travel to India on Feb. 25, 2021, but was forced to reset it since the area, where is headed was placed under 14-lockdown by Indian authorities.
The government is eyeing to purchase 30 million doses of Novavax vaccines from SSI, which is expected to start arriving in the country by May, 2021.
Aside from Novavax, Galvez said they also expected to wrap up soon their vaccine procurement negotiations with the American pharmaceutical firm, Moderna.
He said they are also nearing the signing of the “purchase order” agreement with Chinese pharmaceutical company, Sinovac Biotech for the acquisition of its Covid-19 vaccine.
“We already have the 700 million [pesos] fund for it. So once it is signed, the 1 million [doses] will be coming this March in tranches,” Galvez said.
This is aside from 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines, which was donated by the Chinese government and arrived in the country last Sunday.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier announced it is eyeing to use its savings for the procurement of additional Sinovac vaccines.
Currently, the government only has a supply agreement with British drug maker, AstraZeneca, for the procurement of 17 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, which will be paid for by the private sector and local government units (LGU).
Read full article on BusinessMirror