The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) admitted on Wednesday that the country neither has the research facility nor the resources to develop a vaccine. ADVERTISEMENT“Currently, we do not have the research facility to undertake the research in developing the vaccine,” DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said in an online media forum. DOST Council for Health Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya reasoned that the Philippines still has to upgrade and enhance facilities in order to develop a vaccine. As for a vaccine for COVID-19, the Department of Health earlier revealed that the Philippines is currently in talks with 16 vaccine manufacturers worldwide, including Russia and China. ADVERTISEMENTREAD: Phase 3 clinical trials of Russian COVID-19 vaccine in PH set from Oct. 2020 to March 2021The country also joined COVAX Facility, a mechanism designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 19, 2020 05:15 UTC