INSTEAD of including other sectors in their quick substitution lists, the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, March 26, 2021, directed all vaccination centers in the country to find and vaccinate around 600,000 freelance healthcare workers (HCWs)
In a virtual press briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said their masterlist includes only about 1.2 million HCWs.
The DOH earlier estimated and targeted 1.76 million HCWs as Group A1 under the prioritization framework for the Covid-19 vaccination program.
“We have a difference of about 600,000,” said Vergeire.
“We need to have them all immunized so that we can finish our healthcare workers before we go on to the next sector,” she added.
These HCWs are not affiliated with any hospital or clinic, or are working in dental clinics, dialysis centers and chemotheraphy clinics.
“We will coordinate with the local chapters of societies for the healthcare workers, dental societies, midwives societies and others so they can be contacted and be vaccinated,” said Vergeire.
She said the quick substitution list should include all healthcare workers and frontliners, who are directly providing care for Covid-19 patients.
DOH records show that a total of 508,332 healthcare workers have been vaccinated as of March 23. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)