THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) announced that healthcare personnel is the first to receive doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines once the vaccination rollout starts in the region by end of March or the first week of April this year.
Dr. Zul Qarneyn Abas, deputy health minister of Barmm, said there were three priority eligible groups for the vaccine’s distribution and deployment.
Abas said the first groups include all frontline health workers from public and private health facilities, such as hospitals or temporary treatment and monitoring facilities; health workers from Rural Health Units, City and Municipal Health Offices, Centers for Health Development, and Ministry of Health; barangay health workers including the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams; and frontline workers from the ministries of social services, education, and local government.
Also included in the first group are frontline workers from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Corrections, as well as indigent senior citizens, remaining senior citizens, remaining indigent population, and uniformed personnel from the police, army, coast guard, and fire service.
Abas said the second group consists of teachers, social workers, other Barmm government workers, other essential workers outside health, education, social welfare sectors (e.g. agriculture, food, industry, transportation, tourism, manufacturing, construction, among others), socio-demographic groups at significantly higher risk (persons with disabilities, Bangsamoro living in high-density areas), overseas Filipino workers, and other remaining workforce.
He said all remaining Barmm population will be in the third group.
Abas said the priority groups were based on the framework of the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization and that the primary goal is the direct reduction of morbidity and mortality, and the maintenance of most critical essential services.
He announced that the Barmm will be receiving the AstraZeneca, Moderna and Sinovac vaccines from the national government.
He said the ministry of health is in the process of procuring vaccines, with the P500-million initial allotment of the Barmm government, to supplement those to be given by the central government to ensure that every resident will be immunized against the virus.
The official said they have identified seven fixed-posts across the region where vaccination will take place.
These will include Maguindanao Provincial Hospital, Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Lanao del Sur, Sulu Provincial Hospital, Datu Halun Sakilan Hospital in Tawi-Tawi, Lamitan District Hospital in Basilan, Barmm Government Center in Cotabato City, and Police Regional Office-Barmm Regional Health Service. (SunStar Zamboanga)