Kidapawan City to use 5 schools as Covid-19 vaccination sites

COTABATO CITY – Mayor Joseph Evangelista of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato is eyeing the use of five schools as sites for the forthcoming coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination drive.

“We are doing everything we can to have an organized and systematic vaccination rollout plan which is essential in the final stages of fighting the coronavirus disease 2019,” Evangelista told provincial officials led by North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco during the plan’s presentation held Wednesday afternoon at the Kidapawan convention center.

Kidapawan City is the first among the local government units (LGUs) in the province to formulate and present its local mass vaccination plan consistent with the mandate of the National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Covid-19 and the guidelines set by the Department of Health (DOH) vaccination program.

“All these preparations are for the anticipated arrival soon of the vaccines and its subsequent rollout in LGUs across the country, including Kidapawan and the rest of the province,” the mayor said over a radio station here Thursday.

The rollout plan contains several phases that include the creation of a master list of the priority and eligible residents for vaccination such as senior citizens, front-liners, and the security sector, among others.

Also being eyed for activation are trained human resources converted into teams needed to administer the vaccines to the populace and preparation of cold chain storage facility needed to secure the vaccines once they arrive.

“The plan also covers simulation or dry-run of the vaccination proper where city officials would be among the first ones to receive the Covid-19 vaccine to set an example,” Evangelista said.

Also included in the plan are the approved vaccination sites, and the post-vaccination areas for monitoring of those immunized.

At present, the city government has identified the Kidapawan City Pilot Elementary School, Kidapawan City National High School, Notre Dame of Kidapawan College, Kidapawan Doctors College, and the St. Mary’s Academy of Kidapawan as possible vaccination sites.

Meanwhile, the mayor also presented in the plan two refrigerated vans to be used as transport storage facilities for Covid-19 vaccines once they arrive in the city.

Both refrigerated vans have ultra-low freezing temperatures required for the vaccine to retain its efficacy.

“It is so important that we secure the vaccines and keep its integrity from the time of its arrival and when it is being transported with these storage facilities”, Evangelista said as he underscored the preparations made by concerned city offices the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, the City Health Office, and Kidapawan Police Office – in securing the vaccines.

“The area where the refrigerated vans are being kept is secured and accessible at the same time to ensure fast delivery by the time the mass vaccination starts,” he said.

Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Kidapawan earlier allotted PHP28.9-million from the 30 percent quick response fund of the city’s disaster risk reduction management office to ensure the purchase of some 49,500 Covid-19 vaccines which will cover 30 percent of the locality’s population.

The initiative will also serve as an augmentation to the Covid-19 vaccines that will be provided by the national government which will accommodate 115,500 persons representing 70 percent of the city’s population.

Thorough coordination with the DOH, RIATF for Covid-19, and other concerned agencies is being done by the city officials to make sure the vaccination plan will be properly executed according to schedule. (PNA)