ILOILO CITY—To boost confidence on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, a group of concerned citizens in Iloilo launched an awareness campaign Monday, March 8.
Mostly composed of alumni from the University of the Philippines (UP Visayas), the awareness campaign dubbed as “Bakuna Iloilo” wants to reverse misinformation and disinformation that has discouraged many residents in the city and province of Iloilo from availing the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is as Iloilo has started the rollout for COVID-19 vaccine program last Friday when the Western Visayas regional office of the Department of Health (DOH-6) distributed the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine to four hospitals.
Dr. Eileen Aniceto of the Lung Center of the Philippines, who joined via a video conference call, said that a person who gets vaccinated not only protects himself or herself, but also those around them.
Dr. Cynthia Cabangal-Ng, chief of the Iloilo provincial government’s Hospital Management Office, pointed out that there’s a need to get the community’s commitment to protect the people.
UPV Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Philip Ian Padilla echoed this sentiment and added that getting vaccinated is a shared responsibility.
Dr. Louie Tirador, a cardiologist, noted how diseases such as measles, polio and smallpox did not spread rapidly because of vaccines.