THE Department of Health (DoH) is confident the country is competent of producing its own vaccines for future and existing infectious diseases.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the country was able to produce prominent scientists who will work at the proposed Virology and Vaccine Science and Technology Institute (VIP).
“We have a lot of great scientists here in the Philippines. We also have our University of the Philippines — National Institute of Health where we have a lot of experts,” Vergeire said in the Laging Handa public briefing.
The Department of Health (DoH) expressed confidence the country is capable of producing its own vaccines for future and existing infectious diseases.
In a media briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the country was able to produce prominent scientists who will work at the proposed Virology and Vaccine Science and Technology Institute (VIP).
“We have a lot of great scientists here in the Philippines. We also have our University of the Philippines — National Institute of Health where we have a lot of experts,” Vergeire said in the Laging Handa public briefing.
“We are really capable, our scientists in the Philippines can manufacture vaccines, and also study different organisms which can cause illnesses in the country,” she added.
She noted that the Virology Institute of the Philippines will be complementary to the DoH with regard to disease prevention, control, and surveillance.
“The Virology Institute of the Philippines will focus on studying viruses as well as producing vaccines. We will be the one to effect whatever they will find out, we will base our policies out of it and implement in local governments,” she said.
Once established, the official said it will pave the way for the market to be more competitive and will create a change of access for the public to vaccines.
She added that the establishment of VIP will help the local pharmaceutical industry to grow as there will be an institute for this kind of technology.
In the same briefing, Presidential Legislative Assistant Undersecretary Orville Ballitoc said that in July last year, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the third and final reading of the House Bill 9559 or Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines Act, along with its twin bill that will establish the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“We are happy to let everyone know that the proposed Vaccine Institute of the Philippines along with its twin bill — the CDC or Center for Disease Control are on the top priority of the Duterte administration,” Ballitoc said.
