The Department of Health (DOH) plans to institutionalize the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination program into its regular programs for public health.

In an online media forum Tuesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they want the inoculation program against Covid-19 to be part of the routine work of the local governments or the local health units.

“Kaya ‘yong mga malakihang bakunahan ay hindi na po natin masyadong ginagamit sa ngayon, binaba na po natin sa mga community ang ating vaccination centers. Mas malapit po ito sa ating mga komunidad, mas malapit sa mga tao, mas accessible sa kanila, mas magpapabakuna sila (We’re no longer using the large-scale vaccination centers now because we brought to the community the vaccination centers. When it’s closer to the community, it’s closer to the people, it’s more accessible to them, they’re more likely to get vaccinated),” she said.

As of June 6, more than 69.5 million individuals, or 77 percent of the target eligible population have been fully vaccinated.

About 14.3 million have received their first booster shot while 426,000 have been vaccinated with their second booster shot.

DOH – Technical Advisory Group member and infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña noted bringing the centers closer to more targeted communities would make the country’s vaccination drive more efficient.

More people could be inoculated through private clinics and doctors once Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers pursue their certificates of product registration.

Salvaña said this would “decrease the amount of burden on the government.”

“Malaking tulong ‘yon and mas convenient rin (That’s a big help and more convenient also) if the people can get it from their doctors, the same way that any of these large vaccine programs in the country are already done by both the private and the public sectors,” he added. (PNA)