Strengthening vaccine safety in the Philippines: AEFI Surveillance Manual Working Group

On 28 February 2025, stakeholders from across the Philippine immunisation sector gathered in Manila for the first Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) Surveillance Manual Working Group Meeting. 

This milestone event marked over a year of collaboration between the Philippine Government and NCIRS, supported by funding from the Australian Government. 

The meeting – led by the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau and facilitated by NCIRS – brought together representatives from the Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization, UNICEF and regional health offices. It was an opportunity to reinforce a shared commitment to enhancing vaccine safety while fostering strong team connections.

An important outcome of the meeting was the development of clear objectives, next steps and task allocations for updating the country’s AEFI Surveillance Manual of Procedures. 

The need for this update was identified in July 2024, when NCIRS, in partnership with the Epidemiology Bureau and the FDA, conducted a review of the national AEFI surveillance system that identified a need to modernise the decade-old manual to reflect current global best practices and the evolving digital landscape.

The Epidemiology Bureau subsequently took the lead in laying the groundwork for this important initiative. A diverse working group was formed that included representatives from the DOH Health Promotion Bureau, the DOH Communication Office and two Philippine regions. 

In February, a meeting was held that enabled these stakeholders to align on a shared vision for the revision of the manual, which will have the aim of ensuring it remains inclusive, practical and adaptable to future challenges.

NCIRS is honoured to be part of this journey with our Philippine colleagues and looks forward to contributing to the update of the AEFI Surveillance Manual and other exciting vaccine safety initiatives in 2025 and beyond. 

Through collaboration, innovation and shared expertise, this partnership continues to strengthen vaccine safety for the benefit of all people in the Philippines.