ADDITIONAL VACCINES. Vaccines intended for Iloilo City and the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD) arrive at the Iloilo International Airport on Tuesday (June 22, 2021). Iloilo City will have the biggest allocation of fresh supplies as per information from the Regional Vaccinations Operations Center (RVOC). (Photo courtesy of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Iloilo)
ILOILO CITY – The city government here will be getting the biggest allocation of the Sinovac and Pfizer vaccines that arrived via Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo on Tuesday.
The Regional Vaccinations Operations Center (RVOC) reported that Iloilo City will get 10,000 vials of the Sinovac and 975 vials of the Pfizer vaccines while the remaining 10,000 vials of the Sinovac vaccines will be for the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD) to be allocated in various local government units (LGUs) in the region.
A vial of the Pfizer vaccine is equivalent to six doses, thus this metropolis will have 5, 850 doses.
On June 16, the city government reiterated its appeal for additional vaccines as its supply is enough only until June 23.
In a letter addressed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas sought 14,000 vials of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines) as cases have been increasing in the city.
In its consolidated report, the city from March 14 to June 18 has inoculated 37, 451 individuals with their first dose and 8, 331 with the second dose.
The fully vaccinated is about 1.85 percent of the 450,000 target vaccinees.
However, in another letter on Tuesday, Treñas has asked the regional office of the DOH here for an explanation of the 17, 680 doses that supposedly were allocated to the city, but did not match the record of the City Health Office (CHO).
Based on the DOH report, as of June 20, 2021, the city has already been sent 84, 224 doses of the vaccines composed of 62, 804 of Sinovac and 21, 420 of the AstraZeneca, the mayor said in his letter addressed to regional director Emilia P. Monicimpo.
However, the CHO report showed that since March, the LGU has only received 66, 544 doses comprising of 49, 664 doses of Sinovac and 16,880 of AstraZeneca.
“I think it is only proper that we demand for what is actually afforded us. We cannot shortchange the Ilonggos who have been waiting to be vaccinated,” the mayor said. (PNA)
