SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) here said that Antiqueños are now willing to get inoculated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines as shown by the demand.
IPHO information officer Irene Dulduco, in an interview Wednesday, said the province already needs additional vaccines for the first dose of vaccinees master listed under the priority Group A.
“The 1,200 vials of Sinovac vaccines intended to be used as the first dose (for priority group A) were the latest that we had received so far from the DOH WV CHD (Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development),” Dulduco said. The doses were received by the province on June 15.
During the meeting of the provincial Inter-Agency Task Force for Covid-19 on June 29, IPHO health officer, Dr. Leoncio Abiera Jr., said they had already administered all the 1,200 vials.
“The Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH) cold room is already empty,” he said.
From March 10 to June 27, the provincial government through the IPHO has already received a total of 28,535 vials for the first dose of medical and health front-liners, seniors, and those with comorbidities. These were composed of 22,275 vials of Sinovac and 6,260 vials of AstraZeneca.
Additional 11,335 vials for the second dose comprising of 11,075 vials of Sinovac and 260 vials of AstraZeneca were provided to the province.
The province has 86,255 eligible individuals under the priority group A; 34 percent or 29,365 have availed of the Covid-19 jabs.
They are composed of 7,982 health care workers, 8,340 senior citizens, and 13,043 adults with comorbidities.
Abiera added that they are still coordinating with the central office of the DOH if the provincial government could already purchase Moderna vaccine.
“We were told before that we would be notified if the province is already on the priority list to purchase the Moderna vaccine,” he said.
The provincial government as early as April this year had already allocated PHP50 million for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines.
Source: Philippines News Agency