Philippines eyeing millions of anti-COVID-19 doses from these vaccine makers

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez on Monday presented a breakdown of the COVID-19 vaccine doses it expects to secure from various manufactuers.

In a briefing chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, Galvez presented the following breakdown of the vaccine doses expected from the pharmaceutical firms:

• Sinovac - 25 million doses with ongoing payments and deliveries
• AstraZeneca - 17 million doses with deliveries to government and private sector to start in May
• Moderna - 15 million doses through the government, 7 million doses through the private sector, supply agreement already signed
• Novavax - 30 million doses, 15 million doses to private sector and local government units, supply agreement already signed
• Johnson and Johnson - 5 million doses, supply agreement to be signed this week
• Gamaleya - 15 million doses, negotiations and payments ongoing
• Pfizer - 25 million doses for negotiation

Galvez Jr. said payment for deliveries of Chinese drugmaker Sinovac  is ongoing while term sheet and supply agreement was already signed to get 25 million doses from the firm.

"Ongoing ang payment sa deliveries, tapos na ang term sheet at supply agreement sa Sinovac. Maganda rito, magkakaroon ng purchase orders, bibigyan ng 15% after seven days delivery na po," said Galvez.

He said the government would also make negotiate and make immediate payments for vaccines' made by Russia's Gamaleya.

"Magkakaroon ng negotiations and immediate payments katulad ng ginawa natin sa China na purchase orders, we will pay and then they will deliver," Galvez said.

Galvez also disclosed that the government is expecting to sign its supply agreement with US firm Johnson & Johnson for the purchase of 5 million doses.

He added that the vaccine shots from AstraZeneca are expected to be delivered by May.

However, Galvez said the government is still negotiating with American drugmaker Pfizer for the procurement as the firm has yet to commit with the Philippines.

"Ongoing yung negotiations sa Pfizer pero wala pa tayong term sheet because alam naman po natin yung Pfizer hinahawakan ng European Union at US kaya di maka-commit sa atin ng supply," he said. -NB, GMA News