The Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday that vaccination teams in local government units were conducting "reverse logistics" to keep track of its inventory of COVID-19 vaccines, amid reports of unlawful sale of COVID-19 vaccines.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje made the remark when pressed on the security of the vials in the face of illicit sale of vaccines.
"We are having what we call reverse logistics. We are getting back the used vials," Cabotaje, the chief of National Vaccination Operations Center, said over Dobol B TV.
"We thought we can just let health workers secure this, but I think we should pay more caution, more care in reverse logistics to know if these vaccines were used,” said Cabotaje.
Earlier, three people—including a nurse—were arrested for reportedly selling Sinovac vaccines, which is prohibited because the jabs are still not for commercial use.
Food and Drug Administration officials had earlier said these illegally sold vaccines were unfit for use since the drugs were not properly handled.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police urged the public to report any information on incidents of illegal sale of COVID-19 vaccines following the recent arrest of a health worker for allegedly selling Sinovac.
“We will act on bits of information as they come in,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronnie Olay said in an interview over Teleradyo when asked of efforts to crackdown persons selling jabs.
Olay warned the public that the vaccines being sold might be doses smuggled into the country with risks of being fake.
He assured that the PNP was in coordination with local government units, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health in looking into the illegal sale of COVID-19 vaccines.
No COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines has so far been cleared for commercial use.
President Rodrigo Duterte warned vaccine vendors “not press their luck too far” as he ordered authorities to investigate and file charges against persons behind the sale of jabs.