COTABATO CITY – Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Dr. Myrna Cabotaje commended the Ministry of Health (MOH) for successfully conducting the region-wide Special Vaccination Days (SVD) from May 11-20.
“Thank you very much and congrats to MOH for the efforts and initiatives in conducting the SVD – a job well done,” Cabotaje said.
Cabotaje along with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unification (OPAPRU) Undersecretary David Diciano, who represented Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., attended the SVD’s culmination program held in Marawi City on May 20.
MOH posted an accomplishment of 102% as it exceeded its target of 214,471 individuals across the region. The SVD resulted to a total of 218,683 vaccinated individuals, with the following breakdown:
– Lanao Del Sur and Marawi City with 192% accomplishment or 121,279 vaccinated out of the 63,150 target;
– Sulu with 107.1% or 27,312 vaccinated out of the 25,500 target;
– Maguindanao with 75.5% or 53,085 vaccinated out of the 70,321 target;
– Tawi-Tawi with 61.1%. or 10,998 vaccinated of the 18,000 target; and
– Basilan and Lamitan City, however, only has 16% accomplishment or 6,009 vaccinated out of the 37,500 target.
“We have surpassed the COVID-19 outbreak with few cases to minimal deaths but still we should not take it for granted because our enemy is not seen,” Cabotaje said.
On the other hand, MOH Officer-in-Charge Minister Dr. Zul Qarneyn Abas thanked all of the ministry’s partners in conducting the SVD.
“I would like to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to all of you, especially to our health warriors’ sacrifices, our DOH or the national government support, assistance of our local government, and our development stakeholders, for the smooth implementation of SVD,” Abas said.
“We are still hoping that on or before the end of June, we could still meet the 70% herd immunity in our region as the regular vaccination continues,” Abas further stressed.
According to the MOH, the Bangsamoro region already has a total of 1,066,653 fully vaccinated individuals, and 1,388,591 individuals who received at least one dose of vaccine. (Kasan M. Usop, Jr./BIO)
