The vaccine roll-out for Cebu City’s barangay health workers started on March 24 at Robinsons Galleria. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The lack of doctors and nurses is a major concern for the additional vaccination sites that Cebu City plans to open for the forthcoming mass vaccination against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Councilor David Tumulak revealed on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, that there is a concerning lack of manpower that prevents the city from opening more vaccine sites than it currently has.
Currently, there are four vaccination sites operational including Robinson Galleria, SM Seaside, and two campuses of the University of Cebu (UC) in Barangay Banilad and J. Alcantara Street.
Another eight sites are being mulled to be opened in the next few weeks including the University of San Jose- Recoletos Basak Campus, Cebu Institute of Technology University, Gaisano South, Gaisano Country Mall, SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Ayala Malls Central Block, and Southwestern University PHINMA.
Yet without enough doctors and nurses, these sites cannot be operational, Tumulak said. A vaccination site should have at least 15 doctors and nurses assisting the vaccination.
Tumulak said some partners will also help find the necessary number of health care professionals to man the vaccination sites, but the city government cannot rely on only this.
“In regards to volunteers, naa man. Kinahanglan kaayo nato ang support sa Department of Health (DOH). If they can field doctors and nurses, mas mopaspas pa atong vaccination,” said Tumulak.
The city also plans to hire additional doctors and nurses, but the budget for this is still stuck in the proposed Supplemental Budget that the council is yet to tackle.
Without the budget approved, the city hire additional health care workers for the vaccination sites.
This is why Tumulak is hoping for doctors and nurses to volunteer for the vaccination sites so that more sites can be opened bringing the vaccines closer to the residents.
The AstraZeneca doses in Cebu City are continuously being distributed to the public and as of June 2, 2021, only 9,000 doses are left to be inoculated.
Councilor David Tumulak, the coordinator of the vaccination sites, said that even during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Dante, the vaccination sites remained open for those scheduled for vaccination.
“Sakto atong forecast diri sa Cebu City. Nindot na ang panahon mao wala nalang nato gihunong ang vaccination sa mga sites,” he said.
The remaining doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are expected to last the city at least a week if the vaccination sites consistently inoculate at least 500 to 800 individuals per site.
Tumulak also expects more vaccines to arrive in Central Visayas, which includes the allotment for Cebu City. Additional Sputnik, Sinovac, and Pfizer vaccines should be expected by then.
With more vaccines coming, Tumulak said it is imperative to open more sites in the city.
/rcg