Vax deployment depends on storage capacity

MANILA – Areas with cold chain facilities and vaccine refrigerators are more likely to receive highly sensitive vaccines Pfizer, Moderna, and Sputnik V.

All three require sub-zero temperatures, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said on Thursday.

“We give the appropriate vaccine to those who have the appropriate cold chain,” Cabotaje said in a briefing with Philippine officials and three visiting Israeli health experts in Taguig City.

The Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines can be deployed anywhere else in the country, she added.

Cabotaje said the government’s vaccine deployment strategies amid limited global supply are done through sectoral prioritization.

“The next prioritization is geographic in areas where there are economic hubs. So we have our focus and expanded areas,” she added.

The government is currently focused on areas under National Capital Region Plus (Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Batangas, Rizal, Bulacan, Metro Davao, and Metro Cebu).

“We expand these areas to those experiencing cases surge,” she said.

Geographical challenges

Adam Nicholas Segal, one of three visiting Israelis and who is experienced in resolving complex supply chain challenges, recommended that the Philippines use a “combination of strategies” to address the geographical challenges in terms of vaccine deployment.

“With regards to measure on how to tackle the challenges of the geography, I think what we saw is the use of a great deal of measure so I think the best way is the use of a combination of strategies. The combination of where you store the vaccines, the way you ship them whether by land, by sea, by air, shipment on dyer, shipment in chilled condition,” Segal said.

He said there is no one solution in dealing with challenges of the vaccination program.

“I think this is something that we’ve learned here. There is a use of a great many different solutions to resolve that challenge. Make sure there are sufficient equipment, sufficient cold-chain solution,” he said.

His colleague, Dafna Segol, added not all strategies in Israel can be implemented in the Philippines.

“The challenges that the Philippines is facing are enormous in terms of a geographic situation so I don’t think it’s so much of strategies or of things that we need to build together. We have some lessons that we learned from Israel, obviously not all of them can be implemented but we’ll work with the task force and DOH representative to think what are the right ways, the right steps that can be implemented and what can’t be translated to the Philippines,” she said.

Vaccine confidence

On the local government units’ problem on vaccine hesitancy, Segol said leaders should be “engaged more in informing the public about the importance of receiving two doses of Covid-19 vaccines”.

“I think, first, they can look at Israel as a study case. For us, there was a great impact and great importance of getting two doses. That was the way for us to triumph and reduce morbidity,” she said.

Segol said health care workers also helped Israel boost the public’s confidence in the vaccination program.

“We had a medical staff in the front talking about the effectiveness of the vaccine, explaining the resources, and giving all the information to the public to reduce hesitancy,” she said.

Segal commended Taguig for setting up conducive vaccination sites, like the Lakeshore hub which they visited.

“If I may add, congratulations Mayor Lino Cayetano and the team here. The level of professionalism we saw in this vaccination center definitely adds to the confidence of whoever wants to get a vaccine. A place like this, if this is the level you see throughout, I think your city and the entire Philippines, I think people will be confident in getting proper treatment and getting a vaccine in a very professional manner,” he said.

Impressive

Segal said he was impressed with the logistical handling of vaccines in the Philippines.

“We’ve visited two logistics sites yesterday. I was very impressed by the high level of professionalism and the knowledge. The right way to treat a vaccine such as Pfizer and also the other vaccines. So I was very impressed by the level also in this site and how the vaccines are handled,” he said.

With many countries requesting assistance from Israel’s Ministry of Health, Segol said the Philippines is the first country they visited.

“There are many countries that are contacting us for help. I’m happy to share this is our first onsite visit because of the great relationship we have with the Philippines, but we are all the time answering questions and giving advice all around the world, in Europe, Asia, Africa so on,” she said.