ABS-CBN
DOH assures public ‘idle’ vaccine freezers will be repurposed
The Department of Health (DOH) plans to repurpose P152.12 million worth of ultra-low temperature freezers procured for COVID-19 vaccines.
Some of these freezers will be allocated to research facilities like the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and San Lazaro Hospital for storing vaccines and biological samples.
Other freezers are slated for recalibration to store temperature-sensitive cancer drugs and PCR detection kits.
The DOH also mentioned the possibility of using the freezers for emergency vaccine deployment.
This decision follows a Commission on Audit (COA) report that flagged the DOH for lacking continuity plans for the 243 acquired ultra-low temperature freezers.
COA had recommended that countries develop transition plans to ensure efficient utilization of such equipment beyond immunization programs, to prevent underutilization.
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