Mindanaotoday.com | NorMin lags behind Covid-19 vax targets
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Some local governments in Northern Mindanao are on their way of reaching the 90-percent vaccination coverage of their senior citizens, but the region is far from hitting the 50-percent booster target for all eligible residents, as set by the health agency within the first 100 days of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration.
“We’re crossing our fingers, hoping those who do well could pull up the overall (regional) performance,” said Dr. Ellenietta Gamolo, Department of Health-10 assistant regional director and National Immunization Program coordinator, when asked to assess the latest vaccination coverage data.
As of Sunday, September 4, DOH-10 reported that the region has given primary series of vaccine doses to 81.90 percent or 283,271 of 345,881 targeted senior citizens (A2 category) and administered at least the first booster shot to 44.65 percent or 797,685 of 1,786,430 of all eligible population, aged 12 years old and above.
On the same day, the highly-urbanized city of Iligan has fully vaccinated (first and second dose) 22,074 of her 60-year-old-and-above (A2) residents which was 100.51-percent of its targeted 21,963 A2 population, as indicated in the DOH-10 PinasLakas Accomplishment posted online.
But Lanao del Norte, where Iligan is geographically situated, has vaccinated only 64.36-percent (27,910) of its 43,368 A2 population, thus 15,458 more have yet be reached out in the next five weeks before the October 8 deadline.
Booster shot coverage for 50-percent of the 12 years old and above population was just 34 percent or 87,116 of the targeted 256,153 residents.
Meanwhile, in Camiguin, only 62 senior citizens have not been vaccinated, after local vaccination teams inoculated 7,947 of 8,009 A2 population or a 99.23-percent vaccination performance. It has given booster shots to 62.86 percent of all eligible population, out of its 50-percent target of 32,624.
The region’s capital, Cagayan de Oro has given the primary series of vaccines to 90.56 percent of the A2 population or 49,017 of the targeted 54,124 population, with only 5,107 senior citizens at risk for Covid-19 infections.
Teams from the City Health Office had given at least a booster dose to 69 percent or 181,687 of 263,306 targeted population, 12 years old and above.
In Monday’s Covid-19 Update, CHO’s Ina Grace Chiu announced that 26 health centers have been transformed as vaccination sites, aside from teams bringing the vaccines to houses, offices, and public markets. Vaccinations continue at the CHO, J.R. Borja General Hospital and at the malls.
Chiu said three kilos of rice and medicines for a month supply will also be given to every senior citizen who get fully vaccinated.
Elsewhere, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental provinces have almost identical vaccination coverages of 80.38 percent, 80.33 percent, and 81.49 percent for the A2 category.
Misamis Occidental posted a 57.98 booster-shot performance, Misamis Oriental 37.37 percent, and Bukidnon 31.98 percent – the lowest among local governments – for all eligible population of 12 years old and above. (MT)
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