The Department of Health (DoH) is leveraging advanced cold chain logistics to secure the nation’s vaccine supply chain, ensuring life-saving doses reach even the country’s most remote communities without losing potency.

Through its partnership with local logistics provider PharmaServ Express, the DoH distributes vaccines under strict temperature-controlled conditions ranging from 2 to 8 degrees Celsius down to minus 80 degrees Celsius.

PharmaServ Express president Andrian Perez said the company uses globally compliant cold chain systems, specialized bio-thermal packaging and real-time visibility tools to enhance the country's distribution network.

"Our technology meets the highest international standards for vaccine storage and transport," Perez said.

"As a dedicated life science logistics provider, we've invested in superior, globally compliant cold chain systems, specialized bio-thermal packaging, and real-time visibility solutions—significantly enhancing the country's capability to preserve and account for every vaccine from storage through distribution," he added.

Before PharmaServ Express partnered with the health department in 2017, the DoH relied on traditional styrofoam boxes and ice packs to transport medical supplies.

The logistics firm introduced International Safe Transit Association-validated packaging systems that can maintain required temperatures for up to 168 hours during transit to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

The system features real-time tracking, allowing health officials to monitor shipment temperatures and precise locations continuously.

"By pairing precision cold chain with real-time visibility, PharmaServ Express gives the DoH complete traceability—the ability to track, verify, and prove vaccine integrity at every stage of the journey," Perez said.

PharmaServ Express serves as the DoH’s primary service provider for the National Immunization Program, transporting vaccines to regional health offices for pediatric and maternal health campaigns. The company also handled storage, transport and distribution nationwide during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company holds World Health Organization Good Distribution Practices certification, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points certification for pharmaceuticals, and ISO 14001 certification for environmental management.