Vaccination for PWDs, Badjaos in Davao City starts

AS PART of its effort to expand the vaccination program to different sectors, the Davao City Government has administered the Covid-19 vaccines to persons with disabilities (PWDs), including those with intellectual disabilities, and members of the Badjao community at the People's Park.

The City Government opened the vaccination drive for the said sector at the People's Park on August 18 and will run until October 2021.

Mae Aquino, focal person of the City Social Welfare and Development Community Welfare Program, said the drive was aimed to cater to the vulnerable sector.

Aquino said a total of 10 intellectually disabled persons housed at the Lingap Center for Mentally Challenged, 15 persons with autism, and 15 persons with hearing-impaired disability were assisted through Parent Mobilization Action Group for the vaccination as of August 26, 2021.

Meanwhile, a total of 30 members of Badjao Community, who underwent initial community level orientation conducted by the social workers, were also catered as of August 27.

“Our social workers working on the ground conduct this community-level orientation before the pre-registration,” Aquino said.

Aquino said that the Badjao community was the priority sector catered on August 27, while on August 26, it was the persons with disabilities sector. A total of 686 individuals availed themselves of free anti-Covid-19 jabs on August 26.

Aquino said vaccination for the vulnerable sector has long been planned. The vaccination site intends to cater to other vulnerable groups including youth above 18, solo parents, women and senior citizens.

“It is our target next week to cater to solo parents and drug reformists, and indigenous people within the city,” she said.

The focal person said those who wish to be inoculated must visit their respective social worker in their barangays and register if they are ready to be vaccinated.

Organized groups or organizations for the vulnerable sector may coordinate with their office to arrange for the schedule.

Aquino said the City targets to inoculate 700 persons a day, vaccines of the same number were allocated and are ready through the help of the vaccination cluster.

The City had been pushing the sectoral vaccination to ramp up the vaccination program as its vaccination cluster is collaborating with organized groups for vaccination of priority groups.

City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said the local government is set to roll out its Covid-19 mobile vaccination for the Muslim communities in five proposed sites.

Schlosser said this is in response to vaccination requests from the members of the Muslim communities in the city.

The official said the sites are being prepared for the vaccination drive, adding that the vaccination cluster already coordinated for the vaccination drive and will be following the Muslim religious practices. (With reports from CIO)