Australia ready to assist PH in vaccination program

MANILA – The Australian Embassy in Manila expressed its readiness to assist the Philippine government in its Covid-19 inoculation program as the latter prepares to vaccinate those on its priority list, including medical front-liners.

The commitment was made last week during a meeting among Australian Ambassador Steven Robinson, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon.

“Ambassador assured the secretaries, in the spirit of mateship and bayanihan, that the Embassy will do all we can to assist,” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.

Aside from this, the embassy said Australia had “redirected” its 2020 development assistance programs to reinforce the Philippine pandemic response.

Its recent 21 million Australian dollar (approximately PHP780 million) contribution to the Asean Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases is also expected to directly assist Manila combat Covid-19 through capacity-building efforts.

“This will include support to the Philippines for assistance with vaccines over the next two years, including logistics, public health support, and information, and we currently working with the Philippine Government on these details,” the embassy said.

Last year, Canberra donated PHP35-million worth of medical supplies to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to support the military’s Covid-19 response.

The donation included hospital and personal protective equipment, and support for the 30-bed expansion of the V. Luna Medical Center-AFP Medical Center infectious disease ward.