TACLOBAN CITY –– Various government-run hospitals in Eastern Visayas have started their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination program for healthcare workers.
The Northern Samar provincial hospital based in Catarman town received 2,000 doses of Sinovac and 450 doses of AstraZeneca on Thursday.
Dr. Ninfa Kam, chief of the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, who was the first to be inoculated with the China-made Sinovac, said she felt “minimal pain” and was okay after five minutes.
In Southern Leyte, 224 health personnel of the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital based in Maasin City, are targeted to receive the 2,240 AstraZeneca vaccine.
The top officials of the Biliran Provincial Hospital headed by its chief Dr. Joyce Cañeja were inoculated on Wednesday with Sinovac vaccines.
The said hospital, located in Naval town, received 100 doses of China-manufactured vaccines, with 277 of its medical workers projected to be vaccinated.
In Samar, the Samar Provincial Hospital based in Catbalogan City received 200 doses of Sinovac.
In Eastern Samar, 330 doses of AstraZeneca were delivered to the province, where 220 are to be administered to the health workers of the provincial hospital, and 110 for Felipe Abrigo Memorial Hospital personnel in Guiuan town.
In Tacloban City, 165 medical personnel of the Tacloban City Hospital are to be given the Sinovac vaccine.
Several private hospitals like the Divine Word Hospital and Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation have also conducted their inoculation using the Sinovac vaccines.
At the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, the biggest government-run hospital in the region based in Tacloban City, the Department of Health delivered 1,200 doses of Sinovac for its close to 2,000 medical and service workers.
The DOH in Eastern Visayas said 1,561 health workers across the region have been vaccinated.
The region has around 27,000 health workers.
The region has so far received 8,900 doses of Sinovac vaccines as its allocation from the national government.
On Wednesday, 10,000 doses of AstraZeneca arrived in the region to augment its need for more vaccines against COVID-19.