The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) MIMAROPA will launch a special vaccination program called “Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special COVID-19 Vaccination Days” Program on September 26-30, 2022 with the theme “Sa Bakunahang Bayan, Bawat Pilipino, mas PinasLakas ang proteksyon.”
During the 14th Regional Vaccination Operations Center (RVOC) Meeting on Sept. 20, together with its member agencies, LVOC representatives and Provincial DOH offices, DOH-CHD MIMAROPA Regional Director Dr. Mario S. Baquilod asks the support of its partner agencies and local government units to systematically implement community engagement and social mobilization of the program to ensure the increased uptake of the target.
“Upang mas paigtingin ang pagbabakuna, isasagawa ang Bakunahang Bayan mula September 26 hanggang 30. Sa sama-samang pagkilos ng komunidad, mas lalo nating mapapalapit ang bakuna sa bawat isa, makakamit ang wall of immunity, at mapagpapatuloy ang ating buhay na malaya sa COVID-19” Baquilod said.
Bakunahang Bayan is a week-long event from Sept. 26-30 that aims to further increase the number of individuals protected from COVID-19. The aim is to reach the national goals for vaccination and booster coverage in the country by making primary series and booster doses more accessible through the settings-based approach– the vaccination roll-out shall focus on service delivery close to homes, communities and workplaces.
According to Dr. Mathew Medrano of DOH-CHD MIMAROPA, the difference between the ‘Resbakuna’ and ‘PinasLakas’ is that the latter will distribute vaccines closer to individuals and intensify the vaccination program to those who are hesitant. Medrano also presented the data which shows the target of the program, “The main goal of this program is to vaccinate 95,148 individuals or 90% of Priority Group A2 (Senior Citizens) with the 2nd dose of the primary COVID-19 vaccine; and 1,952,093 or 50% of those aged 12 years and under with their 1st booster dose.”
In MIMAROPA region, Medrano presented the number of individuals which targets to vaccinate 4,176 individuals under the A2 (Senior Citizens). It aims to vaccinate 272 senior citizens from the province of Marinduque; 493 from Occidental Mindoro; 835 from Oriental Mindoro; 108 from Romblon, 2,338 from Palawan; and 130 from Puerto Princesa City.
Meanwhile, Baquilod raised complaints on the proliferation of fake exemption cards. In relation to this, Myla Panganiban from DILG-MIMAROPA conferred that the central office has made issuances and continues to encourage everyone to report any incident regarding the proliferation of fake exemption cards within the region and report it to local chief of police.
The schedule and area of the Bakunahang Bayan program will be posted by the Health Education and Promotion Unit (HEPU) on DOH-CHD MIMAROPA Facebook page. (GATS/PIA MIMAROPA)