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DOH assures ‘idle’ vaccine freezers will be repurposed

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Department of Health assured the public it will repurpose the COVID-19 vaccines freezers that were procured during the pandemic.The Commission on Audit flagged the DOH in its performance audit report on the government’s COVID-19 National Vaccination Program for leaving 243 units of Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers (ULFs) worth P152 million “idle and failing to maximize their usage”.It noted that, as of July 31, 2024, there were 224 of 296 units that were in good condition and operational. Another 19 were in good conditionbut considered idle.<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/3/coa-flags-doh-for-p11-b-worth-of-expired-medicines-vaccines-1836"></a><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/3/coa-flags-doh-for-p11-b-worth-of-expired-medicines-vaccines-1836">COA flags DOH for P11-B worth of expired medicines, vaccines</a></div>The state auditor noted that the idle state of the freezers is not aligned with World Health Organization and UNICEF’s COVID-19 Vaccine Operational Guidance on sustainability and contingency planning that ensures these ULFs will be utilized.Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said the freezers will not go to waste and will be used for storage of other vaccines, blood, and other agents that require ultra-low temperatures. “We will repurpose all of them. In fact, they have been probably repurposed already. They’re being used for — sa tingin ko, blood and other... madami kasing laboratory items na kailangan i-store at that level. So magagamit pa rin siya,” he said in a chance interview on the sidelines of National Immunization Summit 2025 Thursday, January 30.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/23/497-million-covid-19-jabs-wasted-doh">49.7 million COVID-19 jabs wasted: DOH</a></div>In the same audit report, the COA noted that the DOH has “no policy or existing guidelines on repurposing ULF freezers specifically, for all LGUs procured.”Auditors suggested several ways to utilize the ULFs such as placing them in research laboratories like the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and the calibration of new temperature settings to store temperature-controlled cancer vaccines or medicines.The state auditor recommended that the DOH develop a comprehensive repurposing plan that will identify potential uses and clear timeline for implementation, monitoring and evaluation.It also suggested that the agency collaborate with relevant stakeholders such as local government units in repurposing the freezers.

The Department of Health assured that it will repurpose the COVID-19 vaccines freezers that were procured during the pandemic, after the Commission on Audit flagged in its performance audit report on the government’s COVID-19 National Vaccination Program the non-repurposing of the freezer units.

The Department of Health assured that it will repurpose the COVID-19 vaccines freezers that were procured during the pandemic, after the Commission on Audit flagged in its performance audit report on the government’s COVID-19 National Vaccination Program the non-repurposing of the freezer units.

DOH assures public ‘idle’ vaccine freezers will be repurposed

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DOH assures public ‘idle’ vaccine freezers will be repurposed

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 30, 2025 08:42 PM PHT

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