BARMM taps mosques as COVID-19 vaccination sites to spur take-up —Galvez

The Bangsamoro government is eyeing to use mosques as COVID-19 vaccination sites amid the low rate of immunization in the region, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

“Tumawag po ako kay Chief Minister kanina at ang sinasabi nga po niya...na yung lahat ng mga masjid at mosque ay gagawin nilang vaccination sites,”  Galvez reported to President Rodrigo Duterte at the weekly Talk to the People briefing.

(I talked to the Chief Minister a while ago… he said they will convert the masjids and mosques into vaccination sites.)

“So during Friday, during makapagsamba ang ating mga kababayan na Muslim ay gagawin po na parang vaccination sites itong mga mosque at masjid na pupuntahan nila,” Galvez added.

(So during Friday or during their worship, our Muslim brothers and sisters can get their vaccines in the mosques and masjids they usually go to.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) earlier warned of a potential “mini-surge” of COVID-19 cases in the region due to the celebration of Ramadan.

The National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) reported that only 957,766 or around 25 percent of BARMM's population have completed their coronavirus shots.

Galvez said that the low rate could be due to demand issues and vaccine preference, saying some residents may believe that some COVID-19 brands are not halal, or religiously acceptable.

Citing information from Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, he also enumerated fake news and disinformation as other contributing factors to the vaccine hesitancy.

To resolve this, the official said, the national government has launched a workshop for health workers in BARMM in coordination with the DOH, World Bank and  UNICEF.

Strategic focus on the inoculation in the region will include the need for a whole of region-whole of nation approach, deployment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and the use of Ramadan discounts and incentives.

Several areas will also stage special vaccination days on different dates in May. These are Basilan (May 11 to 13 and May 16 to 18); Lanao del Sur (May 16 to 20); Maguindanao (May 17 to 19); Sulu (May 11 to 12); Tawi-Tawi (May 18 to 20); Marawi City (May 5 to 7) and Lamitan City (May 11 to 13). — BM, GMA News