(Eagle News)–The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has formed a vaccine cluster against COVID-19, following the designation of Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. as vaccine czar.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the new cluster, which is separate from the response cluster, was the result of the IATF’s restructuring of the National Task Force on Thursday, Nov. 5.
“As a result of this restructuring, the COVID-19 Immunization Program Management Organizational Structure, which was approved under IATF Resolution No. 82 last October 26, 2020 was abolished,” Roque said.
According to Roque, the vaccine cluster has executive committee members and advisory groups, and different task groups, all with specific roles and responsibilities.
The IATF also outlined the responsibilities of the vaccine czar, which shall spearhead the cluster.
According to Roque, the vaccine czar is in charge of “stewardship, where he will coordinate across various agencies, actors, and technical working groups on behalf of the DOH; safety and efficacy, where he will facilitate the early issuance of the Certificate of Product Registration with the Food and Drugs Administration; cost-effectiveness, where he will facilitate the timely conduct of Health Technology Assessment (HTA), as necessary; price negotiation, where he will activate price negotiation board subject to HTA’s cost-effective price; prioritization, where he will facilitate consensus on prioritization of vaccine recipients; delivery system, where he will facilitate decision on whether to use private system, develop protocol on accessing vaccines and registration with primary health care providers with health care provider networks (HCPNs), practice guidelines; and surveillance, where he will set up Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI).”
He said the vaccine czar is also responsible for financing and co-payments, which means he shall coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management and legislators, as may be necessary, on budget and co-payment ceilings.
He is also in charge of procurement through various mechanisms allowed under existing laws, rules and regulations and through bilateral, multilateral and other financial modalities; and of supply and logistics, which means he will enter into an agreement with a third party warehouse and logistics provider, as necessary.
He is also responsible for information systems, and will establish the information and technology infrastructure to “capture supply chain information as well as to capture system for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The vaccine czar is also in charge of risk communication and community engagement, and will oversee the same and social preparations.
He will also act as spokesperson for vaccine matters.
“The IATF likewise approved the Philippine National COVID-19 Roadmap and Implementation Plan,” Roque said.
On Monday, Nov. 2, President Duterte designated Galvez as the sole negotiator for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.
The President noted he had “good faith” Galvez would “really come up with the solutions to the problem” in making the designation.
