Company negotiating with gov't for local vaccine production, says Duque

A Philippine company is in talks with the government for a vaccine self-sufficiency program, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Friday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Duque said Glovax Biotech Corp. is working with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with the aim of reducing the country’s dependence on other nations for vaccine supply.

Duque further said that  Glovax will bring the technology into the country  and vaccines will be made locally.

"This is a good development so that we don’t have to be last in line or dependent on the vaccine manufacturing capability of other countries," the Health Secretary added. 

Earlier, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has also expressed an interest in helping the Philippines produce vaccines locally. 

Duque emphasized that the coronavirus pandemic has made us realize the need for local vaccine production.

This pandemic has shown that vaccine-producing countries prioritize their citizens, and nations incapable of producing their own will settle for what is left, Duque said in Filipino.

The Philippines has so far received 1,125,600 Sinovac and AstraZeneca doses, all of which were donated by the Chinese government and the COVAX Facility, a global initiative for equitable access to vaccines.

Over 240,000 health workers have gotten their first dose as of Tuesday.  —LBG, GMA News