THE Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-Barmm) announced that it has already administered some 100,100 vaccine jabs against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) among its priority groups as of Thursday, July 8, 2021.

Dr. Bashary Latiph, MOH minister, said Friday, July 9, that 71,846 from the four priority groups received their first dose while 28,254 got their second dose.

Latiph said those inoculated were from the A1, A2, A3 and A4 priority groups, which composed of frontline healthcare workers, senior citizens, individuals with co-morbidities, and frontline workers in other essential sectors, respectively.

He said all of Barmm’s 24,428 frontline healthcare workers received their first dose, and 14,315 of them were fully vaccinated.

He reiterated that the vaccines are effective and safe, and encouraged people to get inoculated if given the chance.

“Ang lahat ng ating nabakunahan ay wala silang na-experience na severe side effects,” he said.

The vaccination program in the region started in the first week of March in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

A week after, vaccination commenced in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, while frontline workers in Basilan received their vaccine jabs starting mid-March.

Since then, Barmm received a total of 133,200 doses of vaccines, 12,000 doses of which were received this week. (SunStar Zamboanga)