COVID-19 vaccination still a ‘challenge’ in BARMM with only 26% fully vaxxed –DOH exec

The COVID-19 vaccination remains a challenge in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as only 26% of its residents are fully vaccinated against the viral disease, a Health official said Thursday.

In a radio interview, Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) chairperson Dr. Myrna Cabotaje noted that about 940,000 out of BARMM’s target population of 3.5 million target population have completed their primary vaccine series.

“BARMM is our challenge, siya ang nasa bottom list. At the moment, nandun pa lang siya sa 26% na fully vaccinated. We’re not even starting with the booster kasi ang importante, naka primary dose. Bago ka mag-booster, primary dose,” she said.

(BARMM is our challenge as it is at the bottom of our list. At the moment, it only has 26% fully vaccinated residents. We’re not even starting with the booster yet because the important thing is the primary dose. Before you get the booster, you must complete your primary series.)

To address the region’s low vaccination coverage, the DOH is currently conducting targeted special vaccination days in BARMM set from March 30 to April 1.

Aside from this, Cabotaje said they will put special vaccination sites in their mosques, madrasa, boarding schools, bus terminals, sea ports, and airports.

“We are also augmenting in terms of resources, human and monetary, para ma-mobilize ‘yung mga vaccination teams na maga-outreach 'ika nga na pupunta sa mga bayan-bayan, mga barangay ng ating BARMM areas,” she added.

(We are also augmenting in terms of human and monetary resources to mobilize the vaccination teams that will do outreach programs in the towns and barangays of our BARMM areas.)

Despite the low COVID-19 infections in the region and in the country in general, Cabotaje urged the residents not to be complacent and still get the jabs as BARMM is the “back door” of nearby countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

“Importanteng protektado. Wala mang kaso silang matataas ngayon, eh ‘pag nagkaron ng surge, very vulnerable sila. ‘Yun ang isa sa kailangang maintindihan ng ating kababayana na nasa BARMM,” she said.

(It is important that they are protected. They might have no high cases now, but when there is a surge, they are very vulnerable. That is one of the things that our people in BARMM need to understand.)

The DOH previously said the government is looking to provide aid in exchange for residents getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in BARMM.

They also identified that some of the challenges in the vaccination rollout in the region are the vaccine hesitancy or preference, limited manpower, fake news, late submission of daily vaccination reports, and lukewarm support from local chief executives and barangay local government units.—AOL, GMA News