Belo Medical Group (BMG) CEO and medical director Dr. Vicki Belo has confirmed ordering Moderna vaccines to be given to all BMG and Belo Essentials employees for free. She is also allocating a similar number of doses to be given to people who have no access.
This initiative is to help keep the workplace and Belo clinics safe from COVID-19. BMG is targeting to distribute the vaccines by June 2021, after securing all the necessary approvals and permits. The move is made possible through a Tripartite Supply Agreement between the government, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and the Belo Medical Group.
It is also in keeping with BMG’s “people before profit” principle. At the height of the pandemic last year, the company took the initiative to temporarily close down its clinics for the safety of patients and employees, even before the government announced a country-wide lockdown.
“My employees are like family. We want to give them the security of not getting severely sick from COVID-19 by providing them with vaccines. I understand how stressful it is to go to work and always worry about getting the virus. At least we can take some of the worry and anxiety away. A happy, healthy, worry-free workplace benefits not only our employees, but our patients as well.” says Belo.
She also believes that the vaccination of all Belo employees will improve the customer experience at the clinic. “You cannot give what you don’t have. So if our people feel unsafe and afraid, how can they make patients feel safe? How can they make them feel comfortable and cared for? You can only give what you have inside you,” she adds.
According to BMG’s general manager Agnes Lopez, BMG ordered double the amount they need for their employees to reach out to people who don’t have access to vaccines.
“I realized as a doctor that the longer we take to kill this virus, the more it will keep mutating to more dangerous variants. So I think companies should all get together to give enough doses for the whole country. For able companies, whatever you can get for your employees, at least double that. And if you can afford it, to share with those who have no means to get a vaccination. Otherwise, this thing will never end. It’s really for everybody’s sake that we have to reach out and try to give everybody vaccinations,” adds Belo.
BMG keeps its 15 clinics across the Philippines, including the Belo Head Office in San Juan, Greenhills, safe and COVID-free while the vaccine is on its way.
“While waiting for the vaccine to arrive, we make sure that our employees and patients are safe in-clinic by observing the proper safety protocols. We also made sure that the air our patients breathe inside our clinics is COVID-free, and everything you touch is well-sanitized,” Belo concludes.
