Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas said the province continues to do information education campaigns (IEC) in the communities to ensure readiness and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Diclas was a guest in the “Laging Handa” virtual briefing of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) hosted by PCOO Assistant Secretary for Global Media and Public Affairs JV Arcena recently.
“At least sa ngayon, medyo nagbabago, accepted na sa mga taga Benguet pero kailangan pa rin po natin magpa-IEC sa kanila, para i-convince mga tao, para makamit natin na 90 percent ang mababakunahan dito sa Benguet (at least now it is slowly changing. There are now more people in Benguet who want to be vaccinated but we still need to do IEC to convince more people so that we can achieve a 90 percent vaccination),” he said.
“Many people in the province are hesitant to get jabbed either due to lack of information or mis-information.”
Diclas said many people in the province are hesitant to get jabbed either due to lack of information or mis-information.
“Ang ginagawa natin (what we do), we are coordinating with medical organizations like (the) Philippine Nurses Association, medical technologists to help in the IEC by relaying the effect of the vaccine so that it can help convince people,” he said.
Diclas added they go to the villages so that people will be able to get information from health workers and hear from those who have been vaccinated of the effect of the vaccine.
“Yun po ang pwede natin gawin para mas marami ang mag-accept sa bakuna natin (that’s what we can do so that more will receive the vaccine),” he stressed.
“We are reaching out to the senior citizens and those with comorbidities so that they will be mentally ready.”
Diclas explained they are reaching out to the senior citizens and those with comorbidities so that they will be mentally ready when the vaccines intended for them reach the province.
As of April 26, a total of 37,446 healthcare workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities have been vaccinated in the province. There were also 8,120 health care workers who have already received their second dose of the vaccine.
The Cordillera has received 53,753 doses of both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
The Department of Health regional vaccination operations center has reported that Cordillera has an 84.98% vaccine utilization rate with Abra leading at 92.75%, Baguio City with 90.42%, Benguet has 90.15%, Apayao with 85.87%, Kalinga has 82.78%, 79.08% in Mountain Province, while Ifugao with the lowest utilization rate at 47.68%.