Glovax Biotech Corp., an integrated distributor and retailer of vaccines in the Philippines, joined Business Call to Action (BCtA) with a commitment to provide 40 million vaccine doses to the country’s medium- and low-income communities by 2020, reducing the cost of vaccinations by 75 percent and preventing countless disease outbreaks.

With a population of 100 million people – and an additional 2.5 million born each year – only 1 percent of the Philippines’ population gets regular vaccinations, mostly for influenza. Two of the biggest reasons for the country’s low vaccination rate are a lack of availability of vaccines and affordability. Glovax’s mission is to provide affordable access to vaccination for the country’s ‘missing middle’ – the 65 million Filipinos who have not been vaccinated.

Traditionally, the two main sources of vaccines in the Philippines were private pediatricians, which may not be afforded by low-income communities, and community health centres, which often suffer from supply shortages.

Glovax’s inclusive business model was initially designed to provide an affordable supply of vaccines for health providers. However, it was soon realized that often discounts provided by the company were not being passed on to consumers. In response, Glovax became fully integrated, offering vaccines directly to consumers through community health centres.

The company has now expanded by creating its own vaccination centres, reducing the cost by as much as 75%.. This integrated model enables Glovax to supply of a full range of life-saving vaccines directly to the poor communities that need them most. Glovax vaccines are 25 to 75 percent cheaper than prevailing vaccines in the market.

By focusing on the huge market segment at the bottom of the economic pyramid, the company has become an industry leader in vaccine logistics and supply. To date, the company has distributed 7 million doses of various vaccines and contributed to vaccinating 2 million people – most of them from low-income communities.

In order to fulfill its BCtA commitment to provide 40 million doses of vaccines in low- and middle-income communities by 2020, Glovax aims to open 100 vaccination centres across the country that specially cater to the ‘missing middle’. It is also entering into a public-private partnership with the Government to establish a vaccine manufacturing facility that fulfills vaccine requirements nationwide.