THE Cebu City Government will launch an investigation on the report that a Southwestern Medical University (SWU) medical student from another country was asked to pay for Covid-19 vaccination.
The Students Right and Welfare (Straw) committee of the SWU Medical Student Council first reported the foreigner’s predicament on its Facebook page and this happened early this week.
A representative of Straw, in an interview with Superbalita Cebu, said the foreigner, an SWU medical student, went to University of Cebu (UC) Alcantara Campus in hopes of getting a Covid-19 vaccine jab even though the foreigner had not received a text message a vaccination schedule. Walk-ins are not allowed on all vaccination sites in Cebu City.
The medical student met a person at the vaccination site. The two exchanged contact details.
The medical student later got a message from the unidentified person in the vaccination site that the foreigner could get the jab if a payment of P1,500 was made.
The person in the vaccination site sent a message telling the medical student that if the latter could not settle the payment at 2 p.m., the student’s profile would be deleted.
Eight minutes later, the person asked the medical student if the payment was already sent. The person then messaged the student that the latter was already blocked by the system.
Acting Mayor Michael Rama said the person in the vaccination site must be fired because Covid-19 vaccines are administered free of charge.
The medical student did not pay the amount and is still waiting for the vaccination schedule.
City Councilor David Tumulak said they already asked the help of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Office, Cebu City Police Office and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 to identify the person who tried to dupe the medical student.
The Straw representative said the student is willing to cooperate with the police.
In spite of this case, the vaccination rollout still continues in the city and in other parts of Cebu.
Vaccination efforts
As of Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, 558,213 persons (32.67 percent) of the 1,708,648 eligible population for vaccination in Metro Cebu had received their first dose; 322,079 individuals (18.85 percent) had received their second and final dose.
These statistics were revealed by Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist of the Department of Health 7.
For the Covid-19 vaccination program in Cebu, Loreche refers to Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, City of Naga, Consolacion, and Minglanilla as Metro Cebu.
The vaccination efforts of other areas belonging also to Metro Cebu such as the component cities of Danao and Carcar, and municipalities of Compostela, Liloan, Cordova and San Fernando are recorded under Cebu Province.
Loreche said the government is in a “hurry” in the vaccination rollout because of the surge of cases in Central Visayas, especially in Cebu.
The constant delivery of vaccines and the setting up of at least six additional vaccination sites in Metro Cebu would help hasten the vaccination program, Loreche said.
As of now, only 28 of the 34 needed vaccination sites in Metro Cebu have been put up.
Loreche said Cebu City still has to put up five more vaccination venues, while Lapu-Lapu City still has to set up one more.
Waiting for Sputnik V
In Cebu City, a total of 5,100 individuals who were inoculated with the first dose of Sputnik V are still waiting for their second dose because there has been no new delivery of Gamaleya Sputnik V in the city, as well as in other parts of the country.
Ibones said he recently had a talk with Loreche and he learned from the latter that there is a new batch coming, but only a few doses.
Quoting Loreche, Ibones said the individuals who got the first dose of Sputnik V should not be worried as the second dose can be inoculated even after three months.
In a SunStar Philippines report last Aug. 12, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said that AstraZeneca vaccine can be used for a second dose in lieu of the second Sputnik V dose.
Ibones said the City will only implement this should there be a written and signed memorandum coming from the National Government.
Rama called Russian Honorary Consul Armi Lopez-Garcia through phone during the press conference on Aug. 13.
During their phone conversation heard by the reporters, Garcia assured that she will ask the Russian ambassador about the delivery of additional doses of Sputnik V. (PAC / KAL, WBS, JJL)