ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) is set to hold a week-long highlight of the "PinasLakas" vaccination campaign in the country comes September 26 to 30, 2022.

Dubbed “Bakunahang Bayan” PinasLakas Vaccination Days, the activity aims to facilitate the rapid mobilization of COVID-19 vaccination services among all eligible populations.

Exmundo stressed that the most challenging yet the most important part of the implementation is on encouraging the people to go to the vaccination sites. Hence, the DOH is rallying support from the local vaccine ambassadors, private stakeholders, and civil society organizations.

It can be recalled that the PinasLakas campaign focuses on the expanded target of reaching 90% immunity for the A2 priority group or senior citizens and 50% for the first booster dose among the general population within the first 100 days of the new administration.

The same goes with the booster coverage with 5.66% or 116,098 from the same period. There’s still a gap of 1,933,778 individuals yet to get their booster doses.

On the other hand, DOH 6 OIC assistant regional director Dr. Ma. Sophia Pulmones thanked the partner agencies and LGUs for their support and commitment as the PinasLakas campaign continues to cascade COVID-19 vaccination throughout the region.

“A lot of our fellows here in Region 6 are yet to receive their booster shots for COVID-19 and also our senior citizens who are among the vulnerable to develop severe COVID-19. That is why we are still ramping up our COVID-19 vaccination through the PinasLakas campaign,” she said.

Meanwhile, to further highlight the activity, on Sept. 29, DOH executive officials - Dr. Kenneth Ronquillio, Undersecretary for Health Policy and Infrastructure, and lawyer Charade Mercado-Grande, OIC Undersecretary for Health Regulation Team, will visit the region particularly at Negros Occidental. (JBG/FRG/PIA6)