VACCINATED. Dr. Hamir Hechanova (left) flashes the “V” sign for "vaccinated" with Kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista standing beside him. Hechanova (inset), chief of the Kidapawan City Hospital, was the first “vaccinee” for the city following the anti-Covid-19 vaccination rollout on Monday (March 8, 2021). (Photo courtesy of Kidapawan CIO)
KIDAPAWAN CITY--Three physicians here led Monday the simultaneous anti-coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination rollout for health front-liners in North Cotabato and the rest of Region 12.
Dr. Hamir Hechanova, the chief of the Kidapawan City Hospital (KCH), was the first to have been vaccinated in this city, followed by Dr. Brylle Catague, Dr. Jennifer Reyes, and Dr. Jazel Lanoza; and 134 other medical health front-liners of the same Covid-19 referral hospital.
The KCH was among the Covid-19 treatment facilities accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) -12.
The city has received an allotment of 137 Sinovac vaccines from the DOH for health workers directly handling Covid-19 patients.
“The vaccines were immediately stored at the PHP2-million cold storage facility set up by the city government recently,” Mayor Joseph Evangelista told reporters here Monday.
Also on Monday, the mayor led the opening program for the vaccination rollout and lauded all medical front-liners for their selfless service to the people.
Evangelista has also expressed his willingness to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in due time.
“I am more than willing to receive the vaccine, but these doses were all allocated for you, for your safety. We will just wait for our inoculation time”, Evangelista told the front-liners.
Medical workers in three other referral hospitals here – the Kidapawan Doctors Hospital, Kidapawan Medical Specialists Center, and the Madonna General Hospital – were also given vaccination schedules in batches that will end up to Friday.
The second dose of Sinovac jabs is scheduled to be administered after 28 days.
Currently, this city has 15 total active cases, the lowest recorded number in the past two months.
The city government has earlier allotted PHP28 million for the procurement of additional vaccines, in addition to the supply from the national government. (PNA)
