Sinopharm vaccine used for childhood immunization in Philippines

Chinese-made vaccine for type-B encephalitis has been put into childhood immunization in Cordillera, Philippines since Feb 14, benefiting approximately 4,000 Philippine children by Feb 26.

The vaccine were produced by Chengdu Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (Sinopharm).  

A total of 36 type-B encephalitis cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests from 2015 to 2017 in Cordillera and the number reached 24 in 2018. The number of children need immunization was 175,000 and local health department planned to go door-to-door to make sure all children in Cordillera vaccinated.

Sinopharm handed in registered documents of vaccine for Type-B encephalitis in June 2017 and the Philippine government purchased 480,000 vaccines through the United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) the same year, marking the application of Sinopharm's vaccine in another country where type-B encephalitis is epidemic.

The Philippine health department has launched an immunization project for type-B encephalitis at the end of January, 2019.

Vaccine for type-B encephalitis is expected to be included into areas of the epidemic in the country as a routine immunization program after all children under five years old in the country get supplementary Immunization this year.

(Executive editor: Hao Wen)