Soccsksargen RHUs start inoculation of OFWs, seafarers
HEALTH • 08:15 AM Sun Jun 27, 2021
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By:
Allen Estabillo/PNA
Arjohn Gangoso, Department of Health 12 (Soccsksargen) health education and promotion officer (PNA GenSan file photo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Rural health units (RHUs) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) have launched the vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and seafarers returning to work in the next few months.
Arjohn Gangoso, Department of Health (DOH) 12 health education and promotion officer, said on Saturday they were included in the additional 20,500 doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine delivered to this city and four other provinces in the region on June 24.
Gangoso said the land-based OFWs and seafarers were given a vaccine allocation after being moved up under the A1 priority group, which previously just covered the front-line health care workers.
He said it specifically covers overseas workers set to leave the country for work in the next four months.
“Those eligible should coordinate with the RHUs so they can be included in the priority list and get their schedule for vaccination,” Gangoso said in a radio interview.
He said they are required to present proofs of employment, such as a work contract and seaman’s book.
The DOH-12 delivered last Thursday about 5,000 doses of CoronaVac to this city, 5,700 to South Cotabato, 4,900 to North Cotabato, 850 to Sarangani, and 4,050 to Sultan Kudarat.