DOH honors Davao City for 100% vax coverage, including elderly
DAVAO CITY — This city has been recognized by the Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-11) for achieving 100 percent primary vaccination coverage against Covid-19, including full vaccinations for all senior citizens who are most vulnerable to the virus.
“Only Davao City achieved the feat among other local government units in the region,” said Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting city health officer, in a statement on Monday.
During the December 15 awarding ceremony led by DOH-11, the City Health Office (CHO) received a P150,000 cash prize for the achievement.
“Under the Covid-19 response, our vaccination has reached 101 percent, and we have also reached our target for A2 or senior citizens. That is a really big achievement,” Lopez said.
Likewise, the city also vaccinated 100 percent of the target population for senior citizens and achieved more than 30 percent of its target for the first booster.
“It is a collective effort, coming from the Dabawenyos, the LGU, our health sectors, private partners, and our citizens. Without the cooperation of the Dabawenyos we would not have achieved this,” Lopez said.
Aside from the Covid-19 response, the city also received other awards for newborn screening, tuberculosis and malaria control programs, and local health systems.
Two health facilities, the Bunawan and Toril-b district health centers, also received awards for best practices on newborn screening.
The city was also cited as the Top 2 Performing LGU for Tuberculosis Control Program.
For the malaria control program, the districts of Marilog and Paquibato were acknowledged as malariafree zones.
Under the local health systems, the CHO received a citation for the development of the City Epidemiology Surveillance Disaster Unit, also a first in the region.