By Lade Jean Kabagani/ Philippine News Agency
The government is targeting to vaccinate at least 15 million Filipinos during the three-day national COVID-19 vaccination program dubbed ‘Bayanihan, Bakunahan’ Day from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, said on Wednesday (Nov. 10).
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s pre-recorded Talk to the People briefing, Galvez said the national COVID-19 vaccination initiative will involve a “whole-of-society and whole-of-government” approach.
“So ang atin pong framework ay talagang magkakaroon tayo ng Bayanihan. It will involve all society and all government agencies,” said Galvez, also the country’s vaccine czar.
Galvez noted that the event, which aims to simultaneously expedite the coronavirus inoculation drive, will be conducted in all 17 regions across the country.
“As we ramp up the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination nationwide, the national government shall facilitate the vaccination activities and expedite vaccination of individuals with zero-dose by devoting three days solely for vaccination activities nationwide,” he said.
Although the vaccination drive seeks to administer 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, he said “it doesn’t stop there…We are planning to sustain the outcome of the national vaccination day for the coming weeks.”
The initiative will also assist local government units (LGUs) with low vaccination output to expedite their respective vaccination programs, he added.
“So [ang] objective po nito is to mobilize all stakeholders, people, and logistics to facilitate the vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines of at least 15 million individuals in three days,” Galvez said, adding that some areas with slow vaccination drives are confronting challenges and limitations on vaccine logistical and handling requirements.
Regular holidays
Galvez said the NTF has recommended to the Department of Health (DOH) to issue a circular order declaring the three-day vaccination drives as regular holidays.
“Ang conceptual framework po natin ay whole-of-society approach and whole-of-government approach. It will be likened to, ‘yung like it’s election day,” he said.
The government is eyeing to convert various schools, universities’ covered courts, arenas, gymnasiums, and other private establishments as vaccination sites for the event.
“We have to expand and activate the vaccination site of more or less 4,000 to 5,000 vaccination centers,” Galvez said.
“So we will also mobilize all government agencies, including uniformed personnel and other government agencies that can help us in the vaccination of our total populations, and general populations and children,” he added.
Galvez said the Philippine Medical Association and its different integrated associations such as Philippine Nurses, Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine Pediatric Society, and Philippine Dental Association, including healthcare workers from private hospitals, will also augment as vaccinators during the event.
With this, Galvez vowed to further fast-track the remaining vaccine deliveries until December.
“And also, we will intensify the social preparation activities to drumbeat the campaign so that we could increase furthermore the uptake and the acceptance of the vaccines regardless of the brand,” he said.
He added the government will also activate the newly structured health emergency command system along with the establishment of local vaccine operations centers to push for more integrated coordination on the COVID-19 vaccination program.
Three-phase preparation
Galvez said the preparation for the nationwide vaccination event will be done in three phases involving vaccination workshops, meetings, and consultations.
“We have the preparation phase…done on November 1 to 28, and then also with the execution phase from November 21 to 30 and December 1; and then also sustainment operations from December 2 to 31. Meaning, we will not end up with National Vaccination Day. We will sustain the effort up to December 31,” he said.
“We will make sure that all the different activities, together with the different responsibilities of the different organizations and agencies will be lined up in the synchronization matrix,” he added. (PNA) – jlo
