Beyond Vaccination: Building Stronger Program Managers
GENERAL SANTOS CITY- Held at Greenleaf Hotel in General Santos City, the training gathered municipal and city NIP coordinators, medical officers, and other health personnel from Sarangani, General Santos City, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. Discussions covered routine immunization, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, immunization planning, and catch-up vaccination strategies. Participants also tackled vaccine safety, the monitoring of adverse events following immunization, outbreak response, and effective vaccine management. These subjects help coordinators understand the many responsibilities involved in keeping vaccination services organized, safe, and responsive to community needs.
Learning From Health Facilities on the Ground
One distinctive part of the activity was its field visit to selected health facilities in General Santos City. Participants observed immunization practices at the General Santos City Health Office, Dadiangas North Barangay Health Station, and Lagao Rural Health Unit. The visits provided an opportunity to connect classroom discussions with the actual routines and challenges of delivering vaccination services. Seeing how immunization activities are carried out in local facilities also gave coordinators practical examples they can consider in strengthening their respective programs.
Better Planning for Wider Community Protection
The training placed attention on the systems that support reliable immunization, including cold-chain management, safe injection practices, and vaccine inventory control. These processes matter because vaccines must be stored, handled, and monitored properly to maintain their quality and ensure they are available when needed. Strengthening the skills of NIP coordinators can help health teams make informed decisions, respond to gaps, and organize vaccination activities more effectively. With stronger program management and shared learning across local health offices, communities in SOCCSKSARGEN can benefit from more dependable immunization services.
