MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)–As the country strives to achieve herd immunity against coronavirus disease (COVID)-19, the province of Lanao del Sur intensifies its vaccination drive and pushes an effort of delivering the program down to communities through carrying on mobile vaccination and establishment of vaccination hubs at checkpoints.
Integrated Provincial Health Officer (IPHO) Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang shared in a command conference and orientation on Bayanihan Bakunahan Tuesday, November 23, that the vaccination rate is now slowly hiking up since their launching of Resbakuna on Wheels months ago wherein vaccinators are deployed to go house-to-house to inoculate.
He earlier stated this was initiated to modify the usual vaccination rollout as the local government immerses deeper into the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in the province to administer jabs especially to senior citizens and persons with disabilities who do not have access to the fixed vaccination.
“It is an innovative strategy to address and make sure that anyone who wants to be vaccinated has access to vaccines as we take one step closer to our goals of meeting vaccination targets and achieving herd immunity. This mobile strategy aims to vaccinate more eligible populations rapidly due to the low turnout rate especially in remote areas,” said Minalang in a previous exclusive message.
Meanwhile, 103rd Infantry “Haribon” Brigade Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Officer LtCol. Palawan Miondas bared the plan of inoculating unvaccinated travelers at established checkpoints in the jurisdiction of Lanao del Sur.
This was then affirmed by Minalang stressing this is possible to happen.
“Pwedeng mangayari iyon [bakuna sa checkpoints] para [sa] iyong mga gusto magpabakuna na at para hindi na sila maghihintay pa o pupunta sa ating vaccination sites. We will be setting up vaccination hubs doon sa may checkpoints,” he said.
[It can happen [the vaccination at checkpoints] so [that] those who want to get vaccinated and for them not to wait anymore or go to vaccination sites. We will be setting up vaccination hubs there at checkpoints.]
Minalang added that the same scenario had happened when the province also stepped up its battle against polio.
As per the record on November 22 this year, Lanao del Sur has administered 123,168 doses, making up a total of 60,250 fully vaccinated individuals which is only 9% of its population.
The IPHO chief outlined all 39 municipalities within the province including the city here have already had inoculated their residents and the concern is just the low vaccination turnout.
As of the recent update, the ten top-performing towns and their vaccination rate are Amai Manabilang (33%), Wao (20%), Saguiaran (17%), Marantao (14%), Picong (14%), Bubong (13%), Ditsa-an Ramain (12%), Buadipuso Buntong (12%), Malabang (11%) and Balabagan (11%).
With the visible poor vaccination rate, the provincial government urged municipal executives to strengthen their information campaign to convince their constituents to get immunized as vaccines are proven safe and effective, and offered for free. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)