MARAWI CITY PIA)--The provincial government of Lanao del Sur now strives to meet the challenge of attaining herd immunity.
Lanao del Sur Provincial Health Officer (PHO) II Dr. Alinader Minalang stressed during the kickoff of the nationwide Bayanihan, Bakunahan here that they are ramping up their efforts to vaccinate 70% of the target population.
“As of the moment, we have reached 40% more or less full vaccination in the entire world and our country has already reached about 35% but we have a challenge here in Lanao del Sur. We are only about 9% that have been declared fully vaccinated. We are way behind our target of getting the 70% herd immunity level… We have to work double-time in order for us to reach this target,” he said.
Minalang said with the three-day intensified vaccination drive at least 300,000 residents of Lanao del Sur or 100,000 vaccinees per day must be catered to.
As such, he shared that they have prepared for the program wherein more than 300 vaccination hubs were installed in different municipalities with the support of various organizations and volunteers which also reached the count of more than a thousand comprising health and non-health personnel.
The PHO also stressed that as this effort employs a whole-of-nation approach, a collaborative effort must be highlighted involving government line agencies, private organizations, stakeholders, and volunteers, among others.
Lanao del Sur Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Alinader Minalang hopes that with collaborative effort, the herd immunity will be achieved so that everyone may finally return to their normal lives and the economy be opened up once again. (Michael John Paclar/PIA-Lanao del Sur)
He underscored that the responsibilities constituted in the vaccination program are not limited to the government and health workers alone as each one has its own role to play.
Minalang conveyed that an evident collaboration of different sectors was already witnessed even during the preparation stage for the nationwide vaccination drive until its launching proper which then manifested the much-needed commitment to help the country and the government. Nonetheless, the citizenry was still urged to remain working as one, converging and joining efforts to meet the common goal.
With everyone driven to double time and attain the longed herd immunity, Minalang is optimistic that the campaign will successfully be carried out.
“As we journey towards that goal of getting herd immunity, we are also hoping that we can now go back to normalcy both in terms of health and economy. We are doing this not only for health but we are also doing this in order to open up our economy and restore normalcy in our country and in this particular part of the region,” said Minalang. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur
