DOH conducts simex on vax deployment, implementation

By Keren Anne V. Bernadas

THE Department of Health (DOH) Bicol in coordination with the region’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), has conducted a full-scale simulation exercises for vaccination and vaccine deployment in three Covid-19 referral hospitals in the region last Feb. 18 and 19.

On Feb. 18, the simulation exercises (simex) started from the reception and arrival of vaccines in the Legazpi City Airport to a step-by-step demonstration of vaccination in the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH).

The same simulation activity was conducted in the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) and in the Naga Imaging Center Cooperative (NICC) on the second day.

Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Maria Francia Laxamana headed the assessment of the simulation exercises in the concerned facilities, together with DOH officials, hospital chiefs and unit heads.

Laxamana, during the presscon, said that many aspects in the process of delivery of the vaccines to the screening have to be taken in important consideration so that loopholes and failures will not occur in the actual vaccination.

Dr. Salvacion Macinas, BRTTH chief, said that their record showed that about 1,800 or 90% of their employees are now willing to be vaccinated.

On the other hand, Dr. Francisco D.J. Sales, BMC chief, said that from 48 percent of their employees, about 90 percent or 2,140 are now ready to be vaccinated.

From medical frontliners to administrative and utility staff, all employees of the said hospitals were included in the screening process.

As of press time, various local government units (LGUs) are in the process of complying the documentary requirements for the implementation of their vaccination program in accordance to the standard set by DOH.

Dr. Rita Ang-Bon, Covid-19 vaccine program coordinator of DOH Bicol, said that their agency commits to input technical assistance to these LGUs to achieve readiness assessment.

In the coming months, DOH would be conducting simulation exercises in various LGUs once compliance of requirements is complete. (PIA5)