Philippines Eyeing to Acquire on Four Vaccine Makers

Photo credits Philippine Star

After the succeeding vaccine trials, the Philippines is eyeing four vaccine makers including AstraZeneca PLC and Sinovac Biotech Ltd. and is set to get advanced purchases. As the cases continue to rise in the country, it targets to secure 60 million vaccine doses in the year 2021.

The Philippine government considers signing a preliminary deal for 20 million doses with AstraZeneca by the end of November according to Carlito Galvez, Vaccine Czar at a televised briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte. The government is also having negotiations with Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez also said in the same briefing that the Southeast Asian nation is set to fund vaccine purchases eyeing for 73.2 billion pesos worth in financing from multilateral agencies, state-owned banks and companies, and other bilateral sources.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque, the vaccination of 60 million people would arrest the spread of the vitus. The said distribution strategy prioritizes COVID hotspots that includes Metro Manila and the President’s hometown, Davao.

The Philippines may join clinical trials for vaccine including those from Russia and China.