DAVAO CITY – Local health officials from Davao Region are undergoing a two-day online training in preparation for the nationwide rollout of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Vaccine Immunization Program, Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region Director Annabelle Yumang said on Thursday, January 14.
Yumang said the training, spearheaded by Public Health Services Team of the DOH Central office, was ongoing from Thursday to Friday for the officials of the DOH-Davao, representatives from different city local and provincial health offices, and representatives of tertiary hospitals
Aside from Yumang, other participants from the Center for Health Development in the region included the assistant regional director, assistant regional director, Local Health Support Division Chief, National Immunization Program Coordinator, RESU Manager, Health Education and Promotion Officer, Supply chain management officer, Provincial Health Team Leaders, and Environmental Health Program Coordinator.
She said representatives from the Provincial Health Office, the Association of Municipal Health Officers President, and tertiary hospitals have also joined the training on vaccination.
The training was intended for health authorities from Visayas and Mindanao, according to Yumang.
During Wednesday’s Laging Handa briefing, National Task Force Against COVID 19 Chief Implementer Carlito G. Galvez Jr. said that the local government units are the “grassroots implementer” of the massive immunization program, and urged them to prepare for the arrival of the initial doses of vaccines next month.
At least 50,000 doses of vaccines from Chinese firm, Sinovac Biotech Ltd., are expected to arrive next month.
Galvez acknowledged the key role of LGUs in Philippine National Vaccine Roadmap, which lays down the “strategic geographical and sectoral strategy on how the nationwide inoculation program will be carried out.”
He said the LGUs are also responsible for the conduct of the information drive on the vaccines.
On January 13, the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region reported 154 new cases, bringing the total cases to 14,428, with 2,333 active, 11,505 recoveries, and 590 deaths in the region.
Out of the total, Davao City, which reported the highest COVID-19 cases in Mindanao, tallied 9,954 cases, with 1,376 active, 8,110 recoveries, and 468 deaths.
Davao de Oro reported 705 cases, Davao del Norte with 1,915, Davao del Sur with 1,068, Davao Occidental with 164, and Davao Oriental with 622.