Adventist headquarters in Davao facilitates 1,200 AztraZeneca shots to the community

July 27, 2021 • in News & Events

The Davao Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, in partnership with our healthcare institution, Adventist Hospital Davao (AHD), thru the supervision of the Vaccine Cluster of the City Government of Davao Health Office, heeded the call and fulfilled our duty as citizens to participate in the CoViD-19 Vaccination Program!

The four-day event had 1,200 AztraZeneca shots administered on July 19, 21-23 at the Royal Valley SDA Elementary School Covered Court to Adventist church members and non-church members.

Davao Mission (DM) president, Pr. Edwin Magdadaro, simultaneously acting as the DM Health director, had this plan a few months back when vaccination sites are a bit harder to find. With Adventist Hospital Davao, the healthcare institution of the Adventist Church in Davao region, together they worked it out with the City Government of Davao, under the supervision of Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, Vaccine Cluster head of the City Health Office.

“The vaccine vials cannot be returned to the shelf once it’s opened. So we had to call on people from all walks of life outside the premises of the vaccination venue to be properly administered to,” says Dr. Kenneth Tandug, VP for Medical Affairs of the AHD.

Pr. Magdadaro said, “We have called on to our church members who are willing to participate in this program.” It was also to cater to the vaccination needs of the church where they don’t have to cue on long lines under the scorching heat of the sun.

The first day of the program saw some 216 shots administered. However, the process wasn’t that long as everyone who received the shots enjoyed a heavy snack prepared by DM. As one participant puts it, “Malipayon ko nga ing-ani ang nahitabo dinhi nga vaccination site. Salamat sa fruit juice, bread, ug lomi! Unta ing-ani sad sa uban nga mga lugar!” (I am happy this is what happened today in this vaccination site! There was fruit juice, bread, and Lomi noodle soup! I wished all of the sites are like this!)

The numbers of those who had the shots the following day almost doubled and tripled the day after.

DM also invited and catered to sister institutions like Northern Davao Mission and South Philippine Adventist College. Other companies also took advantage of the program, like Mercury Drugstores, Jameg Construction and Manpower Services, to name a few.

“All in all, we had 1,200 shots administered,” said Ms. Aida Daugdaug-Lamera, AHD Assoc. Nursing Services director, who’s doing all the ground runs and rounds during the four-day event.

DM did a simple ceremony during the Devotional program held on the last day of the event. It was to appreciate Adventist Hospital Davao’s leadership for administering the event and the Vaccine Cluster of the City Health Office of Davao City for approving the church’s request.

Davao Mission is grateful for the leadership of AHD led by Mr. Marijoe S. Pialago, President; Dr. Kenneth T. Tandug, VP for Medical Affairs; Dr. Leni M. Pialago, VP Operations; Ms. Wintonette Mojica-Tabudlong, VP Finance; Ms. Sheena Gersava-Avance, Infection Control Incharge; Ms. Aida Daugdaug-Lamera, Asso. Nursing Service Director; the doctors, nurses, and support staff who were there on the ground for the full four days.

Davao Mission, through its administrators: Pr. Edwin Magadaro, Pr. Rey Merin, and Mr. Laurence Lamera; and the Adventist Hospital Davao wished to extend their profound appreciation to the City Government of Davao, its City Health Office, the Region XI Department of Health for the very successful administration of the Covid 19 Vaccination Program. (Kirche May Ablo/DM Communication)