MANILA, Philippines — Some 15,000 doses of Sputnik V (Gamaleya) COVID-19 vaccines from Russia arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday on a Qatar Airways commercial flight from Doha.
The 15,000 doses are considered a trial order and needs to be stored at -20 Celsius.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, testing czar Vicencio Dizon, chief presidential protocol Undersecretary Robert Borj and Russian Ambassador Marat Pavlov welcomed the first shipment, which is part of the 485,000 doses ordered by the government for the country through the help of special envoy to Moscow and Philippine Ambassador to Russia King Sorreta.
The 15,000 doses of Sputnik V were expected to arrive last Wednesday, but were delayed due to logistics issues.
The Bureau of Customs-NAIA approved the release of the 15,000 doses of Sputnik V after Department of Health (DOH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) representatives presented documents and clearances.
The FDA has given Sputnik V approval for emergency use in the country.
Sorreta in his Facebook account said, “Great working with the DOH, DFA, Special Envoy for Moscow and the other members of the IATF to make this happen.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Finance said around half of the total funding extended by multilateral institutions for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines has already been obligated.
Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Joven said that between $600 million and $700 million have been obligated out of the total $1.2 billion in loans granted by the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
As such, contracts have been signed for the procurement of vaccines covering these amounts, he added during the Laging Handa briefing on Friday.