DOH-6 eyes 2.2 million vaccinations in 3-day blitz

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV CHD) hopes to vaccinate 2.2 million people in the region against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it participates in the National Vaccination Days on Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, 2021.

This means that within 3 days, the DOH-WV CHD aims to vaccinate 426,259 persons – whether for their first dose, second dose, or booster shots for frontliners, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities.

There are also specific targets for each area in the region – Aklan (79,591), Antique (115,217), Capiz (133,576), Guimaras (28,699), Iloilo province (338,716), Negros Occidental (516,807), and Bacolod City (66,171).

Iloilo City is not included because of its COVID vaccination accomplishment, which was at 99.15 percent of the DOH target, according to the regional office’s data as of 12 a.m. of Nov. 22, 2021.

Vaccinations will be conducted in 530 vaccination sites and 436 vaccination teams across the region distributed to provinces and highly urbanized cities.

The DOH-WV CHD is also still looking for volunteers for the 3-day activity, including health screeners, vaccinators, post-vaccination monitors, health educators, registration personnel, encoders, and data consolidators or talliers.

Individuals who wish to participate in the 3-day mass vaccination activity need to pre-register with their local government units (LGUs).

Medical clearance is needed for those with autoimmune diseases, persons living with HIV, cancer or malignancy, those who recently underwent organ transplant, those currently being treated with steroids, and bed-ridden or terminally ill persons.

Parents of minors aged 12 to 17 years old need to bring their child’s birth or baptismal certificate as proof of parentage, together with their and their children’s valid IDs.

If parents are unavailable, guardians need to represent a notarized authorization letter, notarized affidavit by the parent, and barangay certification signed by the barangay captain.

DOH-WV CHD spokesperson Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray said Monday that they are still coordinating with (LGUs) to address needed medical and human resources for the 3-day inoculation blitz.

Vaccination pre-registration with LGUs, Natalaray said, would help to address the needs of the LGUs for the activity.

She added that the regional office is expecting more vaccines to arrive in the region for the 3-day vaccination.

“We have projections on necessary logistics for vaccines and medical supplies in relation to the National Vaccination Day. We have a series of consultative and coordination meetings with our LGUs for them to be guided on how to prepare the vaccines and logistics especially our cold chain management. We have to see to it that our LGUs are prepared to receive [vaccines] and their cold chain is ready for the 3-day vaccination, as well as other contingency plans,” Natalaray said in an online press briefer.

An initiative led by the DOH central office, the National Vaccination Days hopes to encourage all members of the eligible population, 12 years old above, to get vaccinated as contribution to protection of the family and community against COVID and COVID variants.

The DOH hopes to administer COVID vaccines to 15 million people nationwide in three days.