Caribbean health agency helps Government pay TT$3.4 million for 100,800 vaccines

TT is scheduled to receive its first batch of covid19 vaccines at the end of March.

At Saturday’s virtual Ministry of Health press conference, Minister Terrance Deyalsingh said Covax has approved 100,800 doses at a cost if US$504,000 (TT$3.4 million).

“Under the Covax facility in phase one we would get proportional allocation of 20 per cent of our population in tranches. The first tranche has been confirmed... and the exact number is 100,800 doses.”

He added that payment for the vaccine will be shared by TT and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha), that has a grant out of the European Union to assist countries that fall under its remit.

He explained that there was a specific process to follow, one in which the government has been involved in since February 15.

“We had to sign off an indemnity agreement with AstraZenca, execute national regulatory approval and the cost estimate on vaccine allocation. The cost for this initial 100,800 doses is US$504,000 which includes the actual cost of the vaccines at roughly US$4 (TT$27), insurance an all-associated test.

“In the first instance TT will not paying US$504,000. TT will be receiving from Carpha US$160,838 (TT$1.09 million) towards the purchase of vaccines. It means the government and by extension the taxpayers will be paying for this first tranche, US$343,162 (TT$2.3 million). This will be paid once we get a firm quotation from Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).”

Distribution has been scheduled into phases with phase one of 50,000 doses targeting high-risk or high-exposure people such as health workers of which there are about 5,000 frontline workers, other health care workers and people 60 years and older at public hospitals with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Phase two will include other essential workers such as police, immigration, customs, coast guard, army, teachers, principals and sanitation workers.

“At the ministry we have developed a very detailed grid of all health care workers and frontline workers.”

The 2,000 AstraZenca vaccines donated by Barbados, Deyalsingh said, has been successfully distributed to the medical frontline workers across the Regional Health Authorities (RHA).

“Between the ERHA and NWRHA there were none (no vaccinations) because they did not have functional covid facilities. The three RHAs that had functional covid facilities – under the NCRHA 769 vaccines, because they have three massive facilities which are Caura, Arima and Couva; SWRHA which has Augustus Long Hospital got 131; and Tobago vaccinated 91. So, by sometime today (Saturday) we would reach 1,000.

“We need to keep the second dose in cold storage now and as the chief medical officer explained the second dose will be given in six weeks to three months after. So, we can’t give out that 1,000 doses, we have to reserve for the healthcare workers.”

Deyalsingh noted that while the daily average cases have been low, the aggregated numbers remained of concern.

“For 2021 alone we have clocked 554 cases. In February alone we have had 140 cases. So, our part of the global pandemic is not over. TT is not covid19 free when you look at the aggregated figures.”

Deyalsingh said equitable access to the vaccine remained a concern for TT, something which the Prime Minister and others from the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently raised on several international platforms.

“Voices, globally and regionally are raising their tones and volume to make sure that countries like TT and small countries are not disenfranchised when it comes to vaccine accessibility.”