DHL delivers 1st batch of Pfizer vaccines, diluents to Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — DHL Express, the world’s leading express service provider, announced the successful delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines the other night.

DHL Express arranged the arrival of the vaccines on a cargo flight from Belgium to the Philippines.

At the same time, the diluents for the vaccines were delivered from the manufacturing site in the US to an accredited warehouse in the Philippines a day before the vaccines arrived.

“We are as much grateful to DHL for facilitating the safe transport of the donated vaccines and diluents as we are to the COVAX Facility for the additional supply,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. “With more vaccines to come in the next few months, let us continue to put our trust in vaccines and in science.”

The vaccines were delivered in specially designed thermal shipper packaging and each shipment was packed with dry ice to regulate the temperature, enabling its use in locations that lack the physical infrastructure to otherwise maintain the required temperature. Temperature trackers equipped with sophisticated GPS technology are also packed within each thermal shipper box to provide full visibility throughout the shipment’s entire journey.

DHL Express Asia Pacific CEO Ken Lee said having crossed the one-million mark in COVID-19 cases recently, the Philippines is ramping up its vaccination efforts.

“As the world’s leading express service provider, we are proud to leverage our capabilities and network to transport this life-saving cargo, in accordance to stringent logistics requirements, to the country,” Lee said. “We are committed to supporting the Philippine government in getting through the pandemic and living up to our purpose of ‘Connecting People, Improving Lives.’”

More than 9,000 life sciences and health care specialists work across DHL’s dedicated global network so that pharmaceutical, medical devices, clinical trials and research organizations, wholesalers and distributors, as well as hospitals and health care providers are connected across the value chain and through digitalization, from clinical trials to point of care and every step in between.

“The pandemic continues to impact people’s health and livelihoods. We are privileged to make a positive contribution by partnering with the Department of Health in bringing the first vaccine shipment into the country,” said Nurhayati Abdullah, country manager of DHL Express Philippines. “Our utmost priority is to ensure that the vaccines reach those in need and we are confident that our extensive network and experience position us well to take on this global challenge.”