BAGUIO CITY – – The Department of Health Center for Health and Development Cordillera (DOH – CAR) calls on local government units and line agencies to help in informing the people about the National Vaccination and Deployment Plan and on highlighting the importance of vaccination in the country’s fight against the COVID pandemic.
During the virtual orientation on the National Vaccination and Deployment Plan on Tuesday (January 19), DOH – CAR Regional Director Dr. Ruby Constantino stressed that the successful implementation of said plan is “not only for ourselves but for all the Filipino people.”
Constantino said the vaccination plan for the country is not the sole responsibility of the national government, reiterating what National Action Plan Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said that “It must be a whole of government and whole of nation approach”.
She outlined the importance of every sector’s support, from the regional to the municipal/city down to the barangay level, for the successful implementation of the COVID – 19 vaccination and deployment plan in the region.
Constantino explained that there is no definitive treatment yet for COVID and cases continue to rise as what the Cordillera Region is presently experiencing.
For COVID-19, the vaccine will complement the PDITR (Protect, Detect, Isolate, Treat and Reintegrate) strategy that emphasizes on minimum health standards. Ln the past, vaccines have save lived and have been used to halt previous pandemics such as H1N1 in 2019.
“With the COVID – 19, the government is exploring all means to access COVID – 19 vaccines and prepare the country for the implementation of a National Vaccine Deployment and Vaccination program once a safe and effective vaccine is determined,” she said.
For the vaccination plan to be successful and effective, it has to reach 60 to 75 percent of the population, thus the cooperation of everyone is required, Constantino said.
For the downloading of the plan in Cordillera, Constantino shared that DOH – CAR already conducted an orientation for the provincial, municipal and city DOH officers as well as the RTF COVID – 19 members.
DOH – CAR is also rolling out trainings for LGUs involving city and municipal health officers, rural health physicians, national immunization program coordinators and local epidemiology surveillance officers. Training for Abra, Ifugao and Benguet is set on January 26 and 27 while for Apayao, Kalinga and Mountain Province is on Jan. 28-29. For Baguio City, it started last Monday and ends tomorrow.
The national government is working hard to bring in the vaccines this first quarter of 2021. **By Carlito C. Dar, PIA CAR
