ILOILO – Of the 2,819 healthcare workers in 12 district hospitals and one provincial hospital here, 730 signified willingness to receive the vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from China-based Sinovac Biotech.
“This is just 25.89 percent of our provincial health workers,” said Dr. Cynthia Cabangal-Ng, chief of the provincial government’s Hospital Management Office (HMO).
Cabangal-Ng shared this breakdown of healthcare personnel ready for Sinovac jabs:
* Aleosan District Hospital in Barangay Bancal, Alimodian – 62
* Barotac Viejo District Hospital in Barangay San Lucas, Barotac Viejo – 65
* Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Dalid, Calinog – 53
* Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital on Alfelor Street, Passi City – 11
* Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Poblacion, Ilawod, Lambunao – 55
* Ramon D. Duremdes District Hospital in Barangay Ilaya 1st, Dumangas – 17
* Federico Roman Tirador Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Jibolo, Janiuay – 10
* Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Barangay Rumbang, Pototan – 55
* Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Tingui-an, Balasan – 24
* Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Pungtod, Cabatuan – 118
* Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital on Garriel Street, Guimbal – 130
* Sara District Hospital in Barangay Anoring, Sara – 74
* San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital in San Joaquin – 56
Cabangal-Ng attributed the low percentage to the health workers’ fear of possible side effects.
In February, the HMO conducted a survey of capitol-run hospitals and it was found out that less than 15 percent were willing to get vaccinated.
Cabangal-Ng said they would further intensify their vaccination information campaign, especially among health frontliners.
The San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital and the Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital in Guimbal were eyed to be the first hospitals to receive their vaccine allocation.
Cabangal-Ng said the inoculation among provincial health workers is expected on Wednesday or Thursday.
“Kon mag-abot na ang vaccine sa mga hospitals, immediately i-administer na,” Ng said.
The Department of Health in Region 6 would only give initial doses of the Sinovac vaccine to those willing to be vaccinated.
“First dose lang ang ihatag nila kay sila ang ma-store sang second dose. Ihatag nila ang second dose kon kinahanglan na nga i-administer,” added Ng.
These Sinovac shots the province is expecting were part of the 10,500 vials which arrived in Iloilo via the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town last week./PN
More COVID-19 vaccines deliveries for WV today
BY GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – More vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be delivered to Western Visayas today via the Iloilo International Airport.
This second batch of vaccines consist of 16,880 doses from Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech and 10,000 shots from British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca donated to the Philippine government.
Dr. Jane Juanico, chief of the Infectious Disease Section of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, said the 16,880 additional Sinovac doses would be used as second dose for those health workers given their initial jabs.
The second dose of Sinovac vaccine must be given 28 days after the first inoculation.
“Ang incoming naton nga additional doses will be dedicated gihapon sa aton mga healthcare workers sa mga hospitals. Moving from level 3 (hospitals), nagakadto na kita sa level 2, level 1 and even sa aton infirmary and quarantine and isolation facilities,” said Juanico.
Level 1 hospitals are those with minimum healthcare services; Level 2 are hospitals that offer extra facilities like intensive care unit and specialist doctors; and Level 3 hospitals have training programs for doctors, rehabilitation, dialysis units, among others.
As of March 8, around 660 medical frontliners from six referral hospitals in the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, based on the DOH-6 assessment, the vaccine uptake among healthcare workers in the region picked up from 20 percent to 50 percent.
The biggest factor in the increase, according to Juanico, is the modeling of the department heads, specialists and top level management who were injected first.
“Naka-encourage gid sang daku sa ila mga empleyado and other healthcare workers within the facility nga magpabakuna,” Juanico stressed.
Aside from this, the conduct of education campaign on COVID-19 vaccines, which were joined by medical experts, helped a lot to encourage them./PN
