The United States Agency for the International Development (USAID) has partnered with the city government in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination awareness campaign aiming to disseminate accurate messages across the Cebuano populace.

US Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim Heather Variava graced the launching of the “Bida Kid” vaccination drive for children aged 5 to 11 at the Ayala Center Cebu Tuesday.

In her speech, Variava said assisting the Philippines in the Covid-19 response is the US government’s top priority, and provided the country with over PHP1.9 billion in aid to address the pandemic.

The agency has been working with local counterparts to train nearly 200 Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHRT) to strengthen risk communications and community engagement.

“I am proud to report that our joint efforts to disseminate accurate prevention, treatment, and vaccination messages have reached more than 1 million Cebuanos,” Variava said. “We also enhanced 14 community isolation units that served more than 10,000 individuals at the peak of the pandemic and supported the establishment of nine fixed and 90 pop-up vaccination sites in partnership with the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation and the Department of Health-Central Visayas Center for Health Development.”

Mayor Michael Rama, who also spoke during the event, said the city was able to cope with the challenges brought by the pandemic and Typhoon Odette, citing the help extended by the US government through USAID.

Variava said the interventions supported by the agency have made Cebu manage the over 53,000 cases recorded since March 2020 that have since declined to 712 active cases as of the end of February.

“We are also proud to have supported the city as it reached the impressive milestone of fully vaccinating 92 percent of its eligible population. Great job, Cebu,” she said.

Rama handed over a “mayor’s special award” to the USAID through Variava, lauding the agency’s active participation in the effort to curb Covid-19, thus giving the city “freedom from the quagmire for this adversity.”

“On behalf of the city government, I thank you. You’ve been around… helping the city –from Covid-19 response to vaccination. From the bottom of my heart, with all the things that you have been working with, thank you,” Rama said.

In an interview with Cebu media, Variava said she was delighted to support the city government’s effort to inoculate children aged 5 to 11 in hope that they can go back to school under a new normal in face-to-face learning, coupled with observance of health practices.

She said as of Tuesday, her government has donated 33.3 million vaccine doses to the Philippines, 4 million of which arrived on Monday.

Variava said the US government has also been working closely with their Filipino partners in assisting Typhoon Odette recovery efforts in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Locally, the US government responded by providing a 4,000-liter water tank, 10 sets of solar-powered lights; and more than 2,000 liters of bottled water to ensure that health delivery services in Cebu City could continue without disruption,” she added. (PNA)