Vaccines arrive at the cold storage room inside the Ministry of Health (MOH) compound in Cotabato City [File Photo]
COTABATO CITY—A total of 15,347 healthcare workers across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) already received their first dose of vaccine against the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as of Tuesday, June 2.
This was announced by Minister Dr. Bashary Latiph of the Ministry of Health (MOH) during BARMM’s 50th cabinet meeting held on Thursday, June 3, via virtual teleconference.
Dr. Latiph said the number corresponds to 70 percent of the total number of masterlisted healthcare workers at 21,873 under A1 priority group.
Only about 6,334 or 20 percent have completed their doses. The remaining healthcare workers who received first doses are set to receive their second jab based on their schedule.
While the region’s provinces have yet to finish listing their recipients, it has started vaccination to other component subgroups under the priority group A.
Senior citizens, or those 60 years old and above were also vaccinated. Out of the 79,301 listed, 3,910 senior citizens already received their first vaccine shots.
Some 3,418 individuals with co-morbidities have also received their first inoculation.
The region has also vaccinated 1,478 frontline personnel in other essential sectors.
Vaccination in the region started in the first week of March for the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. A week after, vaccination commenced in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, while frontline workers in Basilan received their vaccine jabs starting March 15.
The region received a total of 78,800 doses of vaccines from the national government. (Bangsamoro Information Office)