On private sale of vaccines
Pakistan raised eyebrows when it allowed the sale of Sputnik vaccines by private hospitals for $80, or around P4,000, as early as April this year. The sale brought about long queues for those who could afford it, as well as debates on the economic divide between elite and needy in society. To clarify, the Pakistani government gave vaccines for free to citizens over 50 and those in the health sector, while the rest were allowed to pay for them.
If you look at it, the Pakistani model is a microcosm of how the world reacted in the distribution and availability of vaccines. First world countries with hundreds of millions of dollars to spare were allowed to ‘invest’ in vaccine developers, in exchange for having first dibs on supply. Now, we see sporting events in countries like the US with pre-pandemic-like crowds. Certain countries have enough vaccines to inoculate its entire population five times over.
Then we have countries like Pakistan where vaccines are legally sold privately, and the Philippines where there are reports of illegal sale of vaccine slots. The Philippines, where there is just as much as an economic divide in Pakistan, is still grasping with vaccine supply. This author gathered that local government units (LGU) are reliant only on the vaccines given by the National Government, and this makes perfect sense this early. Why would manufacturers deal with the countless LGU separately? The first private procurement of vaccines is set to arrive late this month, and this can be the catalyst for succeeding arrivals with the openness of the government to delegate this authority.
The trend is towards privatization of inoculation once supplies become more abundant. Take the case on Covid-19 testing. Last year, only Department of Health-accredited testing centers may conduct testing. Now, access to testing is very easy, especially in Metro Manila, with private clinics and individual entrepreneurial doctors very able and willing to test, provided they have a testing kit and a partner accredited clinic for RT-PCR tests. Certain companies, hotels and resorts have testing on-site.
Can this be done for vaccines also? Eventually. In the US, you can walk in their pharmacies to be inoculated. Imagine being able to do that in our local Mercury Drugstore or Watsons. In Las Vegas, casinos conduct inoculations for their guests. This is where the local discussion must be headed, but the sad reality is we are stuck in this moat until the next President is elected next year. Lucky for the US, they have a new President to push for its new platforms and campaigns to revive the economy.
The Philippines is catching up. Newly minted chief of the
National Economic and
Development Authority, Karl Kendrick Chua, advocates the slow reopening of the economy, and even suggested that schools should consider bringing in students slowly. This can be done with proper and strict safety measures, and granting the students comprehensive insurance in case infected by Covid-19.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology also announced that the vaccine passport is now under study, which must be acceptable in other countries. This must include information on the vaccine received by the traveler, as well as travel insurance. The government must also prioritize the creation of a vaccine manufacturing site preferably adjacent to the vaccination center that can model the mega site being constructed by Ricky Razon in Parañaque City.
Clearly, right now, the government cannot afford a stark change in policy, from prohibiting to allowing the private sale of vaccines. What is allowed for now is the private distribution of vaccines, which is yet to be implemented, when these so far become available. But before the time comes, the government should be ready with its policies, such as taxation and strict protocols, once private sale of vaccines is sanctioned.
“Clearly, right now, the government cannot afford a stark change in policy, from prohibiting to allowing the private sale of vaccines.
“Certain countries have enough vaccines to inoculate its entire population five times over.