Senator Win Gatchalian is advocating for the establishment of a Virology and Vaccine Institute in the Philippines to improve child immunization coverage. Despite a decrease in the number of unvaccinated children from one million in 2021 to 637,000 in 2022, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization stress the need for further efforts to achieve the desired coverage of 95 percent. The Department of Health’s report from last year revealed that vaccine coverage among eligible young children nationwide stood at 59.9 percent. Deep-seated supply-side system issues and vaccine confidence were identified as contributing to this low coverage.
To address these challenges, Senator Gatchalian introduced Senate Bill 941, or the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines Act of 2022. The proposed measure aims to enhance local vaccine development, sustain production, and facilitate technology transfer. The Virology and Vaccine Institute would serve as a leading research and development institute specializing in virology, encompassing viruses and viral diseases in plants, animals, and humans. Its responsibilities would include scientific and technological research, product development in diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, and the dissemination of research outcomes for both the public and private sectors.
The Virology and Vaccine Institute’s research outputs would also be integrated into public health emergency management plans for infectious diseases, as well as disease control and prevention strategies. Senator Gatchalian emphasizes the crucial role of adequate vaccine supply and research capacity alongside encouraging parents to vaccinate their children. Establishing the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines would address these needs and ensure the country can effectively respond to public health challenges.
