VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – A total of 141 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail in Bantay, Ilocos Sur have already received their first and second booster shots against Covid-19.
 
Provincial Jail Warden Raymond Tabios said 18 of the said number are newly committed who were recently vaccinated with booster shots through the Rural Health Unit of Bantay town.
 
He added that all jail personnel were also vaccinated.
 
“Constant health monitoring ang ginagawa ng mga health professionals natin. Fully vaccinated at naka-booster na ang ating mga PDL pati rin mga jail personnel,” he said.
 
Tabios added that they strictly implement and follow the minimum public health standard protocols such as wearing face masks, and hand washing, among others upon entering the jail premises.
 
“Kampante tayo kasi sa Gate 1 pa lang, makikita ninyo na sinusunod at ipinapatupad pa rin namin ang mga protocols upang mapanatili ang health safety ng mga PDL, mga bisita, at mga jail personnel,” he added.
 
Before this, the PDLs and jail personnel underwent free screening for tuberculosis (TB) and chest X-ray on June 16 through the Department of Health (DOH)-Ilocos Region, in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and in coordination with the provincial government of Ilocos Sur through the Provincial Health Office.
 
Diagnostic services to both drug-susceptible and multi-drug-resistant TB cases were conducted through PBSP’s Advancing Client-centered Care and Expanding Sustainable Services or ACCESS for TB project, funded by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
 
This program aims to reduce TB prevalence, incidence, and mortality by providing comprehensive quality TB care among Filipinos.
 
The DOH and the PBSP also assured the funding of medication and laboratory examinations of those who will be detected as presumptive TB patients. (JCR/AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)