Doctors and nurses assigned in the various regional health services units of the Philippine National Police are on standby to assist the Department of Health in the planned vaccination rollout, PNP Chief Debold Sinas said.
Sinas, in his recent visit to the Police Regional Office-Cordillera headquarters in Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet, said the PNP has 2,705 medical reserve force members nationwide aside from the 288 personnel from Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“The DOH would be the lead agency in the vaccination rollout but we are ready to assist the government through our own regional health services units. If the DOH needs help, we are ready to assist,” Sinas said.
In the meantime, the PNP is focused on providing security during the transfer of the vaccines from the storage hubs to the vaccination sites identified by the DOH and the various local government units.
Sinas is thankful that members of the police force are in the priority list of frontliners to be vaccinated, especially those who will be tasked to secure the vaccination sites and health facilities nationwide.
The PNP chief said they are ready in the event that the New People’s Army and other armed groups will cause disruptions in the massive vaccination rollout, saying the Armed Forces of the Philippines will assist the PNP in securing identified NPA-influenced areas.
Also, the PNP is continuing its recently launched Coronavirus Awareness Response and Empowerment or CARE information drive in partnership with various punong barangays nationwide.
The program has initially targeted the policemen providing knowledge and information about the pandemic to be cascaded to the community through a one-hour dialogue. – Ofelia C. Empian
April 26, 2024
