The Bangsamoro regional government has scheduled special COVID-19 vaccination days next month in a bid to broaden inoculation coverage, a local health official announced on Sunday.
“We will have our Bayanihan, Bakunahan exclusively here in the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao),” said Dr. Amirel Usman, director general of the Bangsamoro Ministry of Health.
Usman said local officials are eyeing to give the jab to 215,776 people during the special vaccination days, which will be held in Basilan (May 11-13, May 16-18); Lanao del Sur (May 16-20); Maguindanao (May 17-19); Sulu (May 11-13); Tawi-Tawi (May 18-20); Marawi City (May 5-7); and Lamitan City (May 11-13).
Thus far, the BARMM has chalked up a total of 959,694 people fully vaccinated in the Bangsamoro region, representing 28 percent of the target population, Usman said.
Usman said they have sufficient supply of vaccines in the region, citing hesitancy among the residents as the main reason for the low coverage.
“(Our problem is really hesitancy… especially among those living in remote areas and the so-called geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.),” he said.
But Usman said the government has intensified its information drive to combat vaccine disinformation.
“Kailangan lang talaga natin iparating sa kanila ‘yong kahalagahan ng pagbabakuna. Kapag nalaman naman nila, medyo madali na sa amin ‘yong pagbabakuna sa kanila at napapapayag naman natin (We just need to show them the importance of vaccines. Once they’re aware of that, it’s easier for us to have them inoculated.),” he said.
Usman also said the religious leaders have declared that COVID-19 vaccination does not disrupt fasting as the Muslim majority in the region observed Ramadan.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier said he was warned by the Department of Health and the World Health Organization that Bangsamoro may experience a “mini” COVID-19 surge due to its low vaccination coverage.
As of April 7, some 66.5 million individuals in the Philippines are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19, of whom 12.3 million have received booster shots. Willie Casas
