ILOILO – A total of 911 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Iloilo District Jail (IDJ) in Barangay Nanga, Pototan town availed themselves of free shots against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5.
Personnel of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Iloilo and Department of Health (DOH) in Region 6 were able to inoculate 499 PDLs on Monday and 478 on Tuesday using Sinovac vaccine.
Doctors and nurses from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) also augmented.
In an interview with Panay News, Joji Autajay, chapter service representative for health services of PRC-Iloilo, said the vaccination was done swiftly as inmates were released from their cells per batch.
The minimum public health standards such as wearing of facemasks and social distancing were observed.
The PDLs were also given consent forms prior to inoculation, Autajay said.
Meanwhile, PRC-Iloilo administrator Gilbert Valderrama said the provision of vaccine to PDLs was proof that free jabs are for everyone.
“No one gets left behind,” said Valderrama./PN
