NEWS | 2021/03/08 | LKRO
Inoculations against the Corona Virus disease (Covid-19) were conducted in the city today March 8, 2021 right after the arrival of Sinovac vaccines as per advisory from the Department of Health (DOH).
Some 137 medical front liners from Kidapawan City Hospital, where the biggest Covid-19 facility is situated, started receiving the vaccines, making them part of the first batch of medical front liners in four hospitals located in the Province of Cotabato to be inoculated as first priority among the sectors targeted for vaccination.
Dr. Hamir Hechanova, Chief of Kidapawan City Hospital was the first to receive the initial dose of the vaccines past 10 A.M. in Notre Dame of Kidapawan College (NDKC) amid optimism and cheers from his fellow front liners.
Dr. Hechanova said that except for a minor pain in the vaccinated part, he felt good overall after getting his first dose of the Sinovac vaccine and expressed his optimism that the activity will be successfully carried out in the next few days where a total of 137 medical front liners will be inoculated.
“I do not feel any adverse reaction after the vaccination. I am hoping that all our front liners will eventually get vaccinated and become protected against Covid-19” said Dr. Hechanova
He urged the public to trust the process and get vaccinated when the supply of Sinovac or any other Covid-19 vaccines arrive in the city. “This the most essential way to be protected from the virus, and in fact the only way to end Covid-19.
He finally underlined the importance of the vaccine for Covid-19 stating that the best vaccine is the available vaccine whether it be Sinovac, Astra Zeneca or any other brand of Covid-19 vaccine.
After Dr. Hechanova, other medical practitioners from the Kidapawan City Hospital were also inoculated and these include Dr. Brylle Catague, Dr. Jennifer Reyes, and Dr. Jazel Lanoza.
The historic vaccination of medical front liners in Kidapawan City Hospital were administered by Kristine Corias and Jerry Macion, trained nurses from the city vaccination team.
The second dose of Covid-19 Sinovac vaccines will be administered to the front liners after 28 days, a period enough to monitor late side-effects, if any.
Kidapawan City has a total of 3,840 medical front liners to be vaccinated. This will be followed by others in the priority list or in the guidelines of the National Inter Agency Task Force for Covid-19 (NIATF) and the DOH.
For his part, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph said that this day is very important as the roll out of vaccines commences. He expressed his gratitude to all the stakeholders who supported the city’s local vaccination rollout plan, the first-ever in the Province of Cotabato.
“This is the moment we’ve been waiting for; the actual inoculation of our medical front liners and I hope we can push through with the other eligible individuals and eventually attain a herd immunity”, said the mayor.
Mayor Evangelista said the inoculation of medical front liners is historic and said that this day will be remembered as the day of victory for the people of Kidapawan. He further said he is more than willing to be vaccinated by Sinovac or any other available vaccine for Covid-19 but has to wait for the schedule set for local officials like him.
Kidapawan City Legal Officer Atty. Pao Evangelista said the City Government has been looking forward for the day the vaccine will come and start with the mass roll out plan and is so glad it is actually happening already.
Atty. Evangelista monitored the vaccination roll out right from the start and was happy to note that everything was in order and the system was followed thoroughly.
“We are doing good and all indications say that the vaccine roll out in the city is alright and this is the result of proper coordination among offices and concerned agencies”, said Atty. Evangelista.
The vaccinees had undergone the vaccination protocol – summed up in 7 steps. First, the minimum health standards and temperature check; second, checking of vaccinee’s pertinent details and QR code scan; third, watch video presentation and reading of educational materials and signing of informed consent; fourth, vital signs and history taking, assessment by a physician; fifth, checking of pertinent documents and QR code and actual vaccination; sixth, submission of data to collection officer, information sheet to monitoring nurse and observation of the vaccinee for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour; and seventh; taking of pictures and use of hash tags for social media posts.
Dr. Rubelita Aggalut, Development Management Officer V, Center for Health Development DOH 12, also expressed much elation with the activity. “I am personally happy to see this thing (vaccination) is finally happening here in the City of Kidapawan, the health department is very optimistic that the inoculation of the medical front liners from the city hospital will be highly successful.
Kidapawan City Health Officer Dr. Jocelyn Incienzo, City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Operations Officer Dr. Nerissa Paalan, Kidapawan City Councilor and Chair of Committee on Health Marites Malaluan and other City Councilors witnessed the event with much elation.
Aside from the Kidapawan City Hospital, front liners from three other hospitals with Covid-19 facilities also conducted the same activity today. These are the M’lang District Hospital in the Municipality of M’lang, Mindanao Doctor’s Hospital and Cancer Center, Inc., in the Municipality of Kabacan, and the Anecito Pesante Hospital in the Municipality of Midsayap. (CIO_AJPME/jscj)
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