ILOILO City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Western Visayas is willing to lend a helping hand in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program of the Department of Health and local government units (LGUs).
Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido, BFP-6 director, said some 200 registered BFP nurses may be trained as COVID-19 vaccinators.
“We have been directed by the BFP national headquarters nga mag-prepare for the forthcoming augmentation sa vaccination,” Candido told Panay News.
These nurses were from BFP stations in Antique (10), Aklan (46), Capiz (29), Guimaras (nine), Iloilo (94), and Negros Occidental (10).
“Currently we have 198 available nurses but we still have more. Ang iban assigned sa Emergency Medical Service kag wala namon anay gin–upod kay they have their primary responsibilities. But if really necessary, waay kita choice but to pull them out sa ila nga area,” Candido explained.
A contingency plan was also crafted to ensure the deployment of 200 BFP nurses would not hamper the regional fire bureau’s field operation.
Early this month, some LGUs in Western Visayas secured doses of AZD1222 Vaccine through tripartite agreements with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the national government.
The vaccines are expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2021.
At the moment, only physicians and doctors are allowed to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Candido said for the meantime BFP’s registered nurses will help DOH in its measles-rubella and oral polio mass immunization program from Feb. 1 to 28./PN
