Manila, DoH launch senior flu vaccination drive

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Health Secretary Dr. Edwin Mercado launched a joint influenza vaccination drive in Baseco on Friday targeting senior citizens and vulnerable residents under the city’s Minimum Basic Needs program.

The rollout began at Amadome Court, where medical teams administered flu shots to an initial group of 200 elderly residents. The Department of Health (DoH) committed to supplying additional vaccine doses to cover communities across Manila in the coming weeks.

The launch coincided with progress at the new Baseco Hospital. As part of a P324-million municipal medical equipment procurement program for 2026, the city government fully outfitted the facility with laboratory, operating room, and emergency room equipment.

Following a DoH inspection on Thursday, municipal officials expect the hospital to receive its operating license within days, allowing it to transition from providing outpatient consultations to delivering full hospital services for Baseco’s population.

“The DoH is a vital partner in the programs of the City of Manila,” Domagoso said, noting that the facility currently serves nearly 200 patients daily for basic medicine distribution.

Meantime, Mercado highlighted the initiative as a model for national and local collaboration under the Universal Health Care framework.