DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 Aug) – The local government of Davao is not collecting any service fees from the public in exchange for anti-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines, a health official said on Wednesday.
Vaccination at a mall in Davao City. Mindanews file photo
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, focal person for Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, urged the public over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) to report to authorities individuals who are asking for “service fees” allegedly to cover the cost of the services rendered by health workers at the vaccination hubs.
She said the public don’t need to pay for vaccination services because these are being taken care of by the local government and are given to the public free of charge.
“Please help us report this individual. In every vaccination hub, we have security personnel. Please report these individuals who are asking for money because the vaccine is free, including the services rendered at the vaccination hubs. There is no payment involved,” she said.
Schlosser issued this statement after receiving complaints from individuals who were allegedly required to pay a “service fee” in exchange for anti-COVID-19 vaccines at vaccination hubs.
She said any health services related to the COVID-19 response here are given for free.
The city has 21 operational vaccination hubs as of August 21, according to the City Government of Davao.
Schlosser said the local government is targeting to open eight additional hubs as the local government eyes to increase the number of daily vaccinees from the current target of 10,000 to 15,000.
“Our Mayor [Sara Duterte] does not want our people to pay. All services related to COVID-19 are free,” she said.
Dr. Raquel D. Montejo, chief of the Local Health Support Division of DOH-Davao, said during a virtual press briefing of DOH-Davao last Monday that there were 888,731 doses administered out of the 1,128,852 allocated for the first dose and 448,235 doses out of 974,808 allocated for the second dose as of August 22.
Davao city reported 474,590 doses administered for the first dose and 280,228 for the second dose; Davao de Oro, 99,980 first and 31,570 second dose; Davao del Norte, 120,688 first and 56,842 second dose; Davao del Sur, 65,328 first and 34,819 second dose; Davao Occidental, 34,885 first and 14,605 second dose; and Davao Oriental, 118,279 first and 30,171 second dose. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
