Philippines eyes deal for 25 million doses of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine
Reuters/Manila
(Reuters)
The Philippines has the second-highest number of Covid cases and fatalities in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.
The Philippines aims to finalise negotiations with Sinovac Biotech this week to acquire 25 million doses of the Chinese company s Covid-19 vaccine for delivery by March, a coronavirus taskforce official said on Monday.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who has pursued warmer ties with Beijing, wants to inoculate all his country s 108 million people, preferably buying vaccines from Russia or China.
Philippine officials had met with Sinovac representatives on Friday and there would be another meeting this week to finalise a deal, Carlito Galvez, the country s vaccine chief, said.