ACQUIRING COVID-19 vaccines and ensuring that we have more than enough supply is important. But let us also make sure we have sufficient vaccinators. How many do we have?
According to the Department of Health (DOH) itself, there are only 617,239 healthcare workers from both public and private health institutions that will help in administering the COVID-19 vaccines. This is certainly not enough to serve over 100 million Filipinos.
Philippine Red Cross chief Sen. Richard Gordon recently filed a bill that seeks to expand the country’s pool of vaccinators for the implementation of the government’s national program for immunization in times of epidemics, pandemics and national health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a good move. Since we have a limited number of doctors, nurses and midwives that will aid in the COVID-19 vaccination program, expanding the pool of DOH vaccinators makes sense. Other professionals in health-related fields such as dentists, medical technologists and pharmacists (some suggest even veterinarians) may be trained.
The Gordon bill even pushes the training of even those without medical background to become vaccinators. Section 1 of Senate Bill No. 1987 states that non-medical practitioners that will be part of the training will be allowed provided that that they will be given the appropriate training, certification and authority by DOH, and that they will perform their duties under the supervision of a duly registered physician and for a limited period only contingent upon the existence of the national health emergency for which it is called.
If we expand the manpower for the vaccination program, the government’s target of inoculating 50 to 70 million Filipinos to be able to achieve herd immunity or population immunity can be attained. The proposed bill also aims to improve DOH’s Expanded Program on Immunization and achieve the government’s target of vaccinating 95 percent of the country’s total child population.
Involving all health professionals in the national vaccination program is proper, necessary and urgent. The sooner they are trained to screen patients, properly give the vaccine doses, and perform proper protocols in case of adverse reactions, the quicker our country will attain herd immunity.
