Two pharmacies in Iloilo City on Thursday, Feb. 3, opened their doors to the government’s “Resbakuna sa Botika” campaign to help fast-track the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination to the eligible population.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was joined by National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, NTF deputy chief implementer Secretary Vince Dizon, and Office of the Presidential Assistant for Visayas (OPAV) Undersecretary Anthony Gerard Gonzales during the vaccination rollout at the Mercury Drug Store in Festive Walk Mall, Iloilo and Rose Pharmacy in Plazuela de Iloilo, both in Mandurriao district.
In an interview, Duque said the city was chosen as one of the sites for the campaign because of the existing big malls and pharmacies that could complement the vaccination program in terms of access.
They want a venue that is comfortable and convenient to the public, he added.
The local government’s successful implementation of the vaccination program that has benefitted not only its residents but also those coming from outside of the city also inspired the national government to roll out the campaign in this city.
“Its performance rating is 136 percent of the targeted population because even (residents from) nearby provinces were also vaccinated,” he said.
Initially, the pharmacies will be providing booster doses.
They will be sourcing their stocks from the city government and their accomplishment will also be integrated with the local government’s vaccination report.
The health secretary, in encouraging the public to avail of the vaccines, said COVID-19 jabs are safe, of (best) quality, and effective against all variants of the virus.
Dizon, in his message during the launching program, urged those who have not yet submitted themselves to the vaccination to already avail of the vaccines for the country to be able to move on from the pandemic and for the economy to recover.
“Now we are even bringing the vaccines closer to our people. We are actually making it as easy as possible. We cannot stop until the last Filipino is vaccinated,” he said.PNA
