The Philippine government plans to to have its own vaccine production capability in the country according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez.
Galvez said that idea during his trip in India, where he spoke with the Serum Institute of India (SII) and they discussed the possibility of producing the vaccine locally.
“Tayo po ay nakipag-usap sa SII upang pag-aralan ang posibilidad na ibalik ang kakayahan ng ating bansa na makapag-produce ng sarili nitong bakuna,” Galvez said.
“Ang ganda po ng SII. Meron silang 136 na scientists at gusto nilang tulungan tayo na tayo ay makapag-produce ng sarili nating bakuna,” he added.
SII is considered to be the world’s largest vaccine supplier and the manufacturer of British vaccine AstraZeneca.
Galvez hopes that the Philippines can bring back the vaccine production capability that it had in 1938 to ensure a steady and stable supply of vaccines amid the pandemic.
“Napakaganda… It will require an economy of scale investment. Para sa ‘tin po talaga na magkaroon ng definitive na source ng vaccine,” he said. (TDT)
