MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III called on the government’s pandemic task force to investigate the “vaccination boo-boo[s]” happening “all over” in the wake of several complaints, including that some vaccinators do not inject the vaccine doses in order to “sell or use” them on others.
“Vaccination boo-boo! It’s all over,” Sotto said in a tweet.
Vaccination boo-boo! It's all over. Check the videos. Quo Vadis Philippines?
— Tito Sotto (@sotto_tito) June 29, 2021
Regarding the viral video of a volunteer nurse in Makati failing to administer the vaccine, Sotto said, “[t]here are similar complaints from others in other LGUs (local government units).”
READ: Binay appeals for public’s understanding on ‘human error’ in vaccination
“The IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) should investigate and exercise sanctions,” he said in a message shared with reporters.
Following the viral video, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay has appealed for public understanding, citing “human error on the part of the volunteer nurse that was immediately corrected.”
READ: Binay appeals for public’s understanding on ‘human error’ in vaccination
Binay also urged those who circulated the video and the general public not to accuse the nurse of selling the vaccines—that was why she did not properly inject it.
As for Sotto, he noted that there have been “written complaints” from “different locations,” including Quezon City, which his son, Gian Sotto, serves as vice mayor of.
In one complaint, the senator claimed that some vaccinators do not inject recipients with vaccine doses or simply put water into the syringe to inject vaccines.
Sotto said he already asked his son to investigate such complaints.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who was also asked about the Makati vaccination video, said that health care workers (HCWs) “are exhausted physically and emotionally.”
“They are more prone to human errors because of the increased stress related to the pandemic. The DOH and LGUs must double their efforts to mobilize more vaccinators to reduce the burden on HCWs. Dapat hindi sila nabu-burnout [We should not let them be burnt out],” Hontiveros said.
“At this rate, we are not even doing the recommended 500,000 vaccinations a day. I am very concerned that some of our kababayans may not be receiving their long-awaited shots properly,” she pointed out.
She reiterated her call to improve the working conditions for health care workers.
“We have been sounding a wake up call on improving the situation of our healthcare workers for more than a year now to enable us to attract and hire more to meet the demand,” she added.
“Kailangan ng ating HCWs ng tamang sahod, sapat na pahinga, bakuna, immune boosters at sapat na PPEs (personal protective equipment sets). Hindi lang kalusugan nila ang nakataya, kundi ang kakayahan nilang patuloy na maglingkod sa kapwa,” Hontiveros also said.
(Our HCWs need the right pay, enough rest, vaccines, immune boosters and enough PPEs. Not only is their health at stake but also their ability to serve their countrymen.)
RELATED STORY
DOH on vaccination error: ‘Let’s not crucify the healthcare worker’