THE National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 is set to monitor and participate in the Davao City Government’s third simulation exercise in preparation for the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccines in the city.
In an advisory relayed by the Davao City Information Office, NTF Chief Implementor Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles will be present during the simulation exercise for the transport and vaccination activity of the city.
The simulation exercise is being held to determine the readiness of the city to conduct the vaccination.
The activity also aims to improve vaccine logistics as the initial doses are expected to arrive within the month.
The first exercise was conducted on February 10 with a logistics drill that will transport the vaccines from the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, also known as the Davao International Airport, to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
The second exercise was done on Friday, February 12. The city held a vaccine preparation drill at the Mabini Elementary School (MES) in Bangkal, the primary vaccination hub of the city.
On the third simulation exercise, the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (Code) Team will visit both SPMC and MESi for a “walkthrough of the vaccination hub”.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, proponent of the approved Davao City Covid-19 Immunization Program ordinance, said in a radio interview on Monday, February 15, that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is also expected to meet with the NTF team.
While the ordinance is still waiting for Duterte-Carpio’s signature, she said some of its provisions will be implemented considering that the NTF will be evaluating the city’s vaccination preparedness.
“Muabot na ang national IATF tomorrow (February 16) (The national IATF will arrive tomorrow) to observe how prepared we are for the arrival of the vaccines,” she said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
Villafuerte said the NTF will observe Davao City’s preparation for the arrival of the vaccine because the city is among the priority areas in the country to receive the initial doses of the vaccines from the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (Covax) Facility.
The councilor said the delivery of the vaccines coming to the national government, which was earlier projected to arrive on February 12, had delays due to some documents that needed to be resolved and complied with.
Despite the absence of the vaccines, she said there is a need to prepare as early as now.
Davao City Health Office Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a recent press conference that there was a delay in the arrival of the vaccine due to the lack of a national bill that would provide a vaccine indemnification fund to compensate recipients who may suffer from side effects of Covid-19 shots.
Lopez, according to Galvez, said the national government, through Congress, is already working on passing the bill.
