Region’s frontline responders against A(H1N1) now vaccinated
Health workers of the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City were vaccinated against the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1) during the launching of the A(H1N1) vaccine immunization in the region, April 26, and as part of the country’s response to the pandemic.
DOH 6 AssistantRegional Director Marlyn W. Convocar said that “we are at most risk of getting the disease from our patients and likewise the possibility of transmitting the infection to our families and friends, so it is appropriate that we should be vaccinated first.”
The vaccination went along well with the personnel of the DOH 6 where Assistant Director Convocar received the first shot of the vaccine.
As a backgrounder on the A(H1N1), Convocar said that in July 2009 the country has about 85,771 cases examined at the RITM laboratory and 7% or about 5,885 of that figure turned out positive.
Convocar said that the DOH in Western Visayas has received 15,000 vials to cover 45,000 health personnel of the region. The next priority of the vaccination are pregnant women; children 6 months old to 5 years old and adults aged 60 and above; and children aged 5 years old and above and adults aged below 60 with chronic medical conditions.
It will be recalled that in the press briefing with the Iloilo media, Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, Regional Emerging Infectious Disease coordinator of DOH-CHD WV said that last June 2009 Western Visayas has 66 confirmed cases, and 150 Cases Under Observation and luckily we have no deaths. The Philippines has nine recorded deaths but lower compared to other countries in the whole world.
She said that as of April 11, 2010 global report on a (H1N1) disclosed that close to 214 countries have been affected and 17,798 deaths. (PIA6/T.Villavert)
