Over 9,500 BARMM health workers inoculated vs. COVID-19

At least 9,588 out of the 14,750 health workers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have already received their first shot of COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, the Bangsamoro Public Information Office (PIO) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the Bangsamoro Public Information Office said health officials reported that around 65% of the health workers have been vaccinated.

Ministry of Health physician Bashary Latiph said the recipients are workers in hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities, and government-owned primary care-based facilities.

Sulu recorded the highest vaccination coverage, inoculating 93% or 2,579 out of 2,777 personnel.

The vaccination in the region started in the first week of March in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

A week after, vaccination also started in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, while frontline workers in Basilan started to receive their shots on March 15, the Bangsamoro PIO said.

In early March, Bangsamoro Mufti Abuhuraira Udasan issued a religious guideline saying that “vaccine for healing and preventive measure, in general, is lawful (Halal)."

As of April 21, the region has a total of 4,719 total cases with 4,283 recoveries. -MDM, GMA News