Covid-19 vaccination at Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila begins

MANILA, Philippines — Covid-19 vaccination at the government-owned Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila started on Tuesday morning, with Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and her husband, city health officer Dr. Arnold Pangan, as the first and second vaccinees, respectively.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said in an interview with reporters that the national government has allotted an initial 3,000 doses of the CoronaVac, manufactured by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, to the city government.

The vaccine doses are enough for 1,500 individuals, he noted.

He said a total of 200 medical workers are expected to be vaccinated at the Sta. Ana Hospital on Tuesday.

Manila City Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan (leftmost) and city health officer Dr. Arnold Pangan (center) pose for a photo after being vaccinated with CoronaVac at the Sta. Ana Hospital on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (Screengrab from Facebook live of Manila Public Information Office)

Moreno was not among the first recipients of the vaccine. He said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III advised mayors to let the vaccines go to health workers first.

“Talagang gustong gusto ko but still, we don’t want to violate any national policy. Kasi ‘yung vice mayor ko doktora, good for her, she got vaccinated a few minutes ago,” the mayor said.

(I really want to be vaccinated but we don’t want to violate any national policy. My vice mayor is a doctor so good for her, she got vaccinated a few minutes ago.)

Manila Public Information Office chief Julius Leonen confirmed to INQUIRER.net in a text message that Lacuna-Pangan and her husband are the first and second recipients of the vaccines at the Sta. Ana Hospital.

“Kung halimbawa naman may nagbago ang isip at ayaw pang magpabakuna, hindi naman namin sasayangin ‘yung mga bakunang matitira, hihingi ako ng clearance, it can be this week, it can be next week, pero magpapabakuna ako,” Moreno added.

(If someone changes his mind and will not want to be vaccinated, we will not waste the vaccines. I will ask for clearance, it can be this week, or next week, but I will ask to be vaccinated.)

Moreno said that aside from Sta. Ana Hospital, the vaccine doses will also be given to frontliners from five other city district hospitals in Manila, such as the Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo, Ospital ng Maynila, and Justice Abad Santos Medical Center.

He said a total of 1,900 out of around 4,000 health workers from the six district hospitals have signified willingness to get the Sinovac vaccine.

Moreno said the city government hopes to finish the inoculation with the available vaccines by the end of the week.

EDV