MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--With the primary goal of successfully combating the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic, the province of Lanao del Sur is now driven to attain herd immunity with the upcoming nationwide simultaneous vaccination drive dubbed Bayanihan Bakunahan beginning November 29 until December 1 this year.

Integrated Provincial Health Officer (IPHO) Chief Dr. Alinader Minalang conveyed they are hoping to reach their target set by the national government which is 100,000 jabs per day and summing up to 300,000 vaccinees in three days.

“Hopefully, this can contribute to the target of the national government which is five million a day. In three days, our country will have to inoculate 15 million persons,” he said in a press conference.

Minalang bared that part of ramping up their preparation for the nearing national vaccination days is augmenting over a hundred vaccination sites in the province. 

As such, they will open hubs not just in health centers but also in different strategic areas, such as schools, big establishments, companies with lots of people, and markets to have at least 300 to 400 set-up sites.

Minalang also said they are hopeful that through this three consecutive days program, the vaccination rate will hike up.

“At the end of the year, we are hoping to achieve 50% of our population to have herd immunity and by the end of the first quarter, we can achieve 70% to 80% herd immunity,” he said.

As of November 22, the province has administered 123,168 doses and logged 60,250 fully vaccinated individuals which only constitute 9% of the whole population. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)