UP Mindanao facilitated the COVID-19 vaccination of 2,023 government personnel from  June 30 to July 20, 2021 as a cooperating agency for the local RESBAKuna program organized by the Davao City Health Office and the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies-Region XI (ARENA-XI).

The cooperating agencies were led by the Department of Science and Technology-Region XI (DOST-XI) headed by Regional Director Anthony Sales who is the current president of ARENA-XI. Doctors, auxiliary medical personnel, and personnel from various national government agencies served as volunteers in various capacities from the registration to post-vaccination. City Health personnel delivered the vaccines and carried out disinfection at the end of each day.    

The RESBAKuna sessions were undertaken in time for the June 2021 vaccine roll-out for members of the A4 sector composed of frontline personnel in essential sectors, including government employees, as determined by the Department of Health and the national Inter-Agency Task Force for Communicable Diseases. 

UP Mindanao served as a cooperating agency for RESBAKuna as part of its mandate as a public service university and as an advocate of science in support of public policy. The UP Mindanao vaccination team was constituted by Chancellor Prof. Larry Digal with Assoc. Prof. Lyre Anni Murao as the Focal Person and Site Supervisor and supported by Vice Chancellor for Administration Assoc. Prof. Karen Joyce Cayamanda as Overall Site Coordinator. 

The vaccination was held in the building atrium and the university provided its adjoining classrooms, facilities, audio-visual equipment, computer units, and beds. Personnel services were also provided for data encoding, counseling, vaccine administration, security and maintenance. The science laboratory provided a refrigerator for vaccine storage under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Aleyla de Cadiz as Cold Chain Manager. A number of UP Mindanao graduates extended their services as medical interns for the post-vaccination monitoring and assessment.

#UPDATE: 

RESBAKuna in UP Mindanao on July 29-30, 2021 provided 770 persons with their second vaccine doses. The 770 persons on July 29-30 were composed of 383 essential workers mostly in government service, ten adults with co-morbidities, and two senior citizens.

Over the two days, there were no recorded Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), no recorded refusals, or spoilage of vaccines.

RESBAKuna in UP Mindanao was co-organized with the City Health Office and the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies (ARENA)-Region XI and was held in the UP Mindanao administration building, with personnel and logistical support provided by the university to augment the ARENA team of volunteers. 

In the following weeks, UP Mindanao will continue to serve as a vaccination site from July 28 onward for the government personnel who are scheduled to receive their second dose of vaccines. 

 In the photos (clockwise from top left): View of the UP Mindanao Administration Building Atrium during the RESBAKuna vaccination day; Trained volunteers administer the vaccines; UP Mindanao graduates serve as medical doctors in the post-vaccination monitoring and assessment; Vaccinated personnel have their picture taken in the RESBAKuna photo wall.