US supports PHL’S vaccine deployment
THE US government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing the Philippines P170 million (about $3.5 million) to support the Department of Health’s vaccination rollout.
This new assistance, which brings total US government support for the country’s pandemic response to nearly P1.3 billion (about $27 million), will strengthen the national health system and its vaccine-delivery efforts.
The US Embassy’s Chargé d’affaires John Law announced this new subsidy during a visit to a vaccination site in Caloocan City with Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, Mayor Oscar G. Malapitan, USAID Philippines Mission Director Lawrence Hardy II, as well as other officials of both governments.
Through this new funding, the agency will support the Philippines in strengthening its vaccine-supply chain, monitoring vaccine safety and delivering effective communication campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy. This aid will also support local government units as they plan for, track, and administer vaccines.
“While the pandemic has tested our peoples and our economies, the strong bonds between Americans and Filipinos will help us rise above this challenge,” said Law. “We will continue to fight this unprecedented global health crisis together.”
US government support for the
Philippines’s pandemic response has helped the latter implement internationally recognized infection prevention and control strategies, strengthen laboratory systems and case management, as well as communicate effectively about health risks.
In addition, the White House recently announced a P194-billion (or $4-billion) commitment to support the Covax facility—the global initiative to support early vaccine access for 92 countries— which include the Philippines. An initial P97.2-billion (around $2 billion) contribution—provided through USAID—IS supporting the purchase and delivery of safe and effective vaccines.
Through this effort—of which the US is the largest donor—the Philippines will receive enough vaccines to immunize at least 20 percent of its population by the end of 2021.