Zuellig Pharma Vietnam signs co-operation on national vaccine project

Zuellig Pharma Vietnam Ltd. has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Centre for Control of Vaccines and Biologicals (NICVB) and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) for cold chain storage management and safeguarding the quality of vaccines.

Titled “Project Support: Enhancement of Cold Chain Storage During Vaccine Transportation under the Expanded Immunisation Programme in Vietnam,” this is a two-year project from 2018 to 2020 to enhance cold chain storage during the transportation of vaccines.

The Expanded Immunisation Programme, administered by the Ministry of Health since 1981, has been widely regarded as one of the most important national public health programmes in Vietnam, benefiting millions of women and children. One of the key elements ensuring the success of the programme, as well as vaccine efficacy and safety for users, is that it must meet requirements in cold chain storage.

To maintain the efficacy and safety of vaccines, it is necessary to keep them at a constant temperature between 2-8°C. Any break in this cold chain, from production to storage, transportation or usage could damage the integrity of the vaccine, resulting in reduced efficacy and safety in treatment.

The objective of the project is to ensure the efficacy and safety of vaccines and biologicals which must be stored in a cold chain during transportation to the immunisation locations in Vietnam.  In furtherance of this objective, Zuellig Pharma Vietnam will closely collaborate with NICVB and NIHE to assess existing cold chain transportation to provincial preventative medical centres.

The firm will donate packaging technology to extend the cold chain in the form of eZCooler units, which will improve Vietnam’s cold chain capabilities as well as ensure safe delivery to remote areas. Zuellig Pharma Vietnam will also provide training for NICVB and NIHE on good international practices regarding cold chain management and the use of eZCooler units.

Robert Kruit, chief executive of Zuellig Pharma Vietnam, said, “The way vaccines are handled and managed is critical to the efficacy and safety of vaccines for Vietnamese people. We have been entrusted with handling drugs and vaccines from international and local pharmaceutical companies around the world for almost 100 years in Asia and 18 years in Vietnam. We are very proud to be a part of this project with NICVB and NIHE and look forward to closely collaborate with the two institutes for years to come.”

The MoU that served as the initiation for the project with a total sponsorship value of $600,000 was signed by NICVB director Doan Huu Thien and NIHE director Dang Duc Anh and Kruit.

By Thanh Van / VIR