STATE auditors have lauded the performance of the Tacurong City government in protecting the health of its residents after achieving a 92-percent vaccination rate or 78,396 of the target population of 84,956 as of December 31, 2022.
The tally of fully vaccinated residents or those who already received at least two shots also hit 72,697 or 86 percent of the target.
The city won the 2021 COVID-19 Immunization Award from the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Health Office for its contribution in improving public health.
Even before the acquisition of vaccines, auditors said the city started early in identifying and preparing the City Cultural and Sports Center as principal vaccination site based on the Department of Health (DOH) memorandum dated February 26, 2021.
A cold storage facility was likewise installed at a secured spot inside the City Hall Compound with air-conditioning and back-up generator in case of power supply interruption. This was equipped initially with a pharmaceutical refrigerator acquired in 2021, followed by two chest freezers the following year.
Coordination with the DOH Central Office, the DOH Region 12 Office, the PHO Sultan Kudarat, and other local government units enabled Tacurong City to have a lead on vaccine deliveries — 60,461 vials in 2021 and 6,778 vials in 2022.
These consist of 22,968 vials of Pfizer; 31,906 vials of Sinovac; 9,650 vials of Sputnik; 1,072 vials of AstraZeneca; 840 vials of Janssen; and 803 vials of Moderna.
“(These) opened opportunities for them to receive more vaccines and other vaccine brands requiring special storage. CGT (city government of Tacurong) was able to receive large quantities of vaccines,” the Commission on Audit noted.
