The Department of National Defense is set to start its COVID-19 vaccination program beginning with its front liners today, 1 March 2020, at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) and AFP Medical Center.
The first vaccinations, which will be witnessed by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana and other DND officials, will be administered to officials and personnel of the VMMC led by Dr. Johann Giovanni Mea, VMMC spokesperson; Gemma Colcol, Nursing Supervisor; Bienvenida Montilla, Administrative Division Chief; Leovilla Cauilan, Supply Section Chief; and Leticia Yadao, Assistant Chief, Cash Section.
The 100,000 doses donated by the Chinese Ministry of Defense to the DND are part of the 600,000 doses that arrived on 28 February at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The DND will initially inoculate 14,520 individuals using 29,040 doses. The remaining 70,960 doses will be given to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte witnessed the arrival of the vaccines, together with members of the IATF led Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, cabinet members and other government officials.
People’s Republic of China Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian turned over the vaccines to the Philippine Government.
(DND-PR)
