Government pledges more COVOD-19 medicines
THE LOCAL government continues its mass vaccination program as it targets to inoculate at least 70% of the nearly one million population to be able to achieve herd immunity against the deadly COVID-19.
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| Mayor Beng Climaco poses with vaccinees during a mass vaccination program at KCC Mall de Zamboanga. (Bong Serondo) |
Mayor Beng Climaco said the local government aims to ease community restrictions and eventually return to the “new normal” soon provided residents strictly follow the public health protocols to prevent the virus from spreading further.
The vaccination program has recently included children or the pediatric population and those under the priority list of the Department of Health (DOH).
The local government and the DOH also tapped various establishments and in different barangays in the conduct of the vaccination and among them are KCC Mall de Zamboanga, Yubenco Star Mall, SM Mindpro, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Zamboanga Peninsula Medical Center, Zamboanga Chong Hua High School.
Climaco also appealed to residents who have not been vaccinated to register to their nearest health center or at the City Health Office so they can be inoculated as soon as COVID-19 vaccines are available.
The mayor previously asked the national government and the DOH to provide Zamboanga City with more vaccines and medical supplies to be able to effectively roll out the mass vaccination program. She said Carlito Galvez, in-charge of the government’s vaccine procurement program, has pledged to provide Zamboanga with additional supply of the medicines.
Climaco also assured Galvez that the local government is more than ready and capable of inoculating the local population as long as the supply of COVID-19 vaccines are available. But despite the readiness of the local government, the arrival of vaccines in Zamboanga City is little compared to other areas in the country such as Davao, Cebu, NCR and Calabarzon.
Zamboanga Peninsula lags behind in mass vaccination and other local governments in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao also aired similar complaints, saying the lack of vaccines prevent them from carrying out the mass vaccination program.
Just recently, Climaco attended the
virtual meeting called by the National Vaccination Operations Center which was
attended by over 600 local government representatives and discussed various
issues affecting the rollout of the vaccines, among others.
Climaco recommended the involvement of cabinet secretaries in assisting the different regions in the vaccination program and ensuring focused attention on the gaps and challenges they face.
At the meeting, the mayor thanked Galvez and his deputy, Vivencio Dizon; Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año for their commitment to provide continuous vaccine supply to Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Peninsula and help accelerate the vaccination rollout.
Climaco renewed her calls for a synchronized policies, task lists and templates in COVID-19 response to guide the local governments and ensure uniform and standard policies for all. (Zamboanga Post)
