Gov. Aurelio Umali and Cabanatuan City Mayor Myca Elizabeth Vergara witness the Sinovac inoculation of two ranking physicians at Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center. Photo by Armand Galang
CABANATUAN CITY – At least 646 medical frontliners from Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center (PJGMRMC) have registered for inoculation as the Sinovac vaccine roll out started here Monday.
Gov. Aurelio Umali and Mayor Myca Elizabeth Vergara of this city witness the ceremonial vaccination led by the hospital chief, Dr. Hubert Lapuz.
Disqualified from being jabbed the Sinovac as a senior citizen, Lapuz inoculated Dr. Jose Ravinar Austria, head of the PJGMRMC medical and professional department.
Dr. Andrew Mangiduyos of emergency department was also inoculated.
Lapuz said 721 doses of Sinovac were delivered to their hospital by the Department of Health for the roll out Saturday.
Per schedule, targeted for inoculation were 105 on Monday, with all personnel to be finished in five to six days, said Lapuz.
“Ang first priority ay ang PJG Cabanatuan. Pangalawa ang Talavera, sunod na yung Doctors, Premire …sunod-sunod na ‘yan,” Lapuz added.
He said personnel from all five divisions of PJGMRMC have expressed consent to receive the vaccines. These include doctors, nurses, administrative, finance, housekeeping and guards, “lahat, from top to bottom,” he said.
Lapuz vowed to get AztraZeneca which is recommended to the elderly.
Both Umali and Vergara expressed support to the roll out, stressing that the nation has been fighting the coronavirus disease for one year.
Umali said the local government units have empowered health and other frontliners in the fight against Covid-19.
Vergara said the city government which allocated some P250 million for vaccination program is willing to share with other local government units.
The city government, she said, is at the second tranche of AztraZeneca but they are still talking with other firms like Johnson & Johnson.
“Masaya talaga ako sa activity na’to dahil unang-una dito sa Cabanatuan, dito sa PJG ginawa ito. Pinag-uusapan namin ng ama ko, si PO Jay (Vice Mayor Jay Vergara) na kailangan talagang ma-vaccinate yung buong Cabanatuan kasi andaming napupunta dito,” Vergara said.
