THE provincial government of Negros Occidental, through its Provincial Health Office, is further strengthening its advocacy awareness, as it admitted having a problem in the acceptability of Covid-19 vaccines at the local level.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang expressed concern Thursday, May 20, 2021, that there will be a shortage of people to be inoculated.

This as the national government is distributing vaccines according to utilization needs of local government units, he said.

Tumimbang said the provincial government of Negros Occidental has already submitted its target of one million Negrenses who will be up for vaccination.

“I hope we will be able to address the vaccination of this one million (people)”, he added.

The PHO on Thursday started vaccinating the remaining 1,000 workers of the provincial government at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City, with more than 2,000 others, who are medical frontliners availing of first and second doses, respectively.

Tumimbang said they are targeting to inoculate, either with AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccines, 1,500 to 2,000 workers, including personnel of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, among other national government agencies, assigned in the province until June 4.

"As long as there are vaccines available, we will cater their needs," Tumimbang said, referring to personnel of national government agencies.

A 70-percent herd immunity is being targeted for compliance by the PHO.