DOH: LGUs cannot procure COVID-19 vaccines independently

Local government units (LGUs) are prohibited from independently procuring and distributing COVID-19 vaccines, as they must coordinate with the national government, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledged the vaccination efforts of LGUs but emphasized the necessity of central oversight.

LGUs can coordinate their vaccine initiatives through the NTF and DOH by entering into a tripartite agreement that includes local governments and pharmaceutical companies.

This centralized approach aims to consolidate and align all vaccine resources and efforts under the national government's program.

Furthermore, the FDA clarified that emergency use authorizations granted to vaccines do not permit their commercial sale.

Consequently, vaccine manufacturers are barred from selling directly to LGUs or any other entity outside of the national government's vaccination initiative.