BACOLOD City – The city government is preparing a multi-million peso fund to purchase coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines this year.
Councilor Renecito Novero, head of the city’s Vaccine Center Team (VCT), said Mayor Evelio Leonardia had been meeting with his Finance Committee to determine the amount to be allocated for the vaccines.
Leonardia also discussed with the COVID-19 Vaccination (CoVac) Council the crucial preparatory measures in anticipation of the vaccine’s availability and utilization by delegating tasks.
According to Novero, public schools may be utilized as vaccination centers, aside from the City Health Office, hospitals and clinics.
Novero will also push for a public-private partnership in raising funds for the vaccine procurement.
He will bring this up in today’s scheduled meeting with the VCT.
Also during a recent CoVac Council meeting, private sector representative Dr. Hector Gayares was tasked to coordinate with all the seven hospitals here for the profiling and identification of healthcare professionals, medical frontliners and healthcare facility workers.
Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) head Pacita Tero will identify marginalized, underprivileged and other persons in vulnerable situations to be prioritized for vaccination.
This profiling measure will be conducted in accordance with national guidelines and would include health workers in both private and public hospitals.
According to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, all frontliners – both in public and private health establishments – should be given priority in the vaccination.
“We are very confident we have the funds. We will see to it that any and all resources that we have, we can realign, we can augment, including our savings, for the purchase of the vaccines,” he said.
Leonardia said providing the people of Bacolod City with COVID-19 vaccines is his top priority in 2021.
Also the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, he created a committee headed by Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas to ensure access to the COVID-19 vaccines for the 145 cities of the country.
The committee is set to meet with Secretary Carlito Galvez, the country’s vaccine czar, and the representatives of pharmaceutical companies in early January./PN
