PH must now focus on ‘national health security’—Sec. Galvez
Once upon a time, Philippines donated vaccines to China
FORMER Armed Forces chief of staff and current ‘national vaccine czar,’ Secretary Carlito Galvez, is now pushing for a “recalibration” of the country’s health system, this time focused on having “national health security” to better prepare the country in battling the still-raging Covid-19 pandemic and another round of pandemic that he believes can strike within the next two years.
At a ‘Zoom’ virtual presentation last March 30, 2021 before the House Committee on Health chaired by Quezon province 4th district representative, Angelita Tan, a doctor by profession, Galvez said the Philippines must now focus on “health sufficiency” as soon as possible thru “partnership” with other vaccine-producing countries like Russia, China, India and the Western countries but with “strategic shift to Asian countries.”
The committee conducted the hearing as the number of Covid-19 infection surges anew, hitting 9,595 new cases on March 27, 2021 and to 10,016 new cases a day before the hearing; the surge forced the government to put into another ‘lockdown’ the entire Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan Laguna, Rizal and Cavite from March 29, 2021 to April 4, 2021, areas that saw huge increases in infections.
(As of April 3, 2021, the number still surged to 15,298 new cases, with the majority of cases still confined to the abovementioned areas. The figure includes the more than 3,000 cases not reported for April 1, 2021).
No help from Uncle Sam, EU for now
Galvez prefaced his presentation with a “global update” on vaccine supply situation, stating that until the vaccine needs of the United States and the European Union (EU) are fully satisfied first, other countries, the Philippines included, would have to wait for their turn. “Under Pres. (Joe) Biden (of the United States), invoke the ‘defense procurement act,’” meaning it is forbidden for any US vaccine maker to export “not only the vaccine but also the raw materials,” Galvez said.
“Some manufacturers (outside the US territory) are having restriction on accessing the raw materials coming from the US,” he added.
Similarly, the EU has also announced tighter export control to countries outside of it to other countries until it had satisfied first its own requirements.
One report noted that while only comprising 16 percent of the global population, the US and the EU had already cornered more than 60 percent of the global vaccine supply thus far.
This blatant display of self-interest by the West is despite the plea from the World Health Organization (WHO) for them to contribute to the global vaccination campaign, a call that only China, India and Russia have responded thus far.
The policy by the US and the EU, Galvez noted, has created “tension” on the global supply chain at the receiving end of which are poor nations like the Philippines.
Glaring fact: PH laggard in vaccination and ‘lessons from India
The Philippines’ lack of own capacity to produce vaccines was made more glaring—and embarrassing—by Galvez’s presentation when he noted that by this time, India is now conducting its own vaccination at 2.2 million jabs per day, significantly more than the 460,000 jabs in February while Indonesia is now averaging more than 500,000 jabs per day.
On the other hand, the Philippines has only recorded 702,362 vaccinations since the first donated ‘Sinovac’ vaccines from China arrived last February 29, 2021.
Galvez also noted that during his recent visit to India, he was informed that Indian researchers and scientists are already into the production of “third generation” vaccines designed not only to fight off the original Covid-19 virus but also its many variants to include “one-time, big-time boosters,” including a vaccine that would “reject” the entry of the Covid-19 through the human nostril.
India’s success in making vaccines, he added, could also be traced to India’s policy of achieving “three securities”—power (energy) security, food security and health security, after wining its independence from British Imperialism in 1947.
India today produces some of the cheapest medicines in the world and the acknowledged leader in global vaccine production.
Given these facts, Galvez opined that the country’s present health policies and strategies are “not enough” if the country is to have health security.
“We have to dedicate our minds on really having health self-sufficiency for the next pandemic.
“I believe the universal health care (UHC) that we have promoted and enacted is not enough,” Galvez said, as he bared that the next work for the country is for the creation of a ‘health security act’ thru the DOH modernization program, if the country is to “fully bridge the ‘valley of death.’”
At their Cabinet meeting before the start of the hearing, Galvez said Pres. Duterte gave instruction to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) “to work for certain vaccine security” if the country is to move forward from the simple containment of the virus to its elimination. “Meaning, we have to start doing and making our own (vaccines),” Galvez said.
“We have to look back to our own past ‘glory,’” the official added, noting that in 1939, the Philippines even “donated” vaccines to the then war-ravaged country of China.
The Philippines lost its own capacity and capability to produce its own vaccines after the removal of Pres. Marcos in 1986, with the policy of Pres. Corazon Aquino of scrapping any and all projects and policies identified with her predecessor.
