VACCINES ARRIVAL. A total of 6,000 anti-Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo, Sulu on March 11. Tawi-Tawi received 1,212 doses of Sinovac and 1,010 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, while Sulu received 2,360 doses of Sinovac and 2,080 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. The vaccination roll-out is expected to commence in each province as soon as possible. (Bangsamoro Information Office/Photos from BARMM Health Ministry)
COTABATO CITY – The leadership of the newly-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has upped the ante in meeting the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, as it prepares to establish a cold chain facility to store much-needed vaccines.
In a recent meeting of the Joint Humanitarian Team between BARMM officials and representatives of the donor community, it was disclosed that the former is poised to purchase the necessary cold-chain equipment in support of Covid-19 protocols.
The purchase of the vaccines and other such medicines will be undertaken by the national government, according to the Regional Inter-agency Task Force (RIATF) on COVID-19.
BARMM Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, in his virtual message, said the meeting transpired “in a highly challenging and exceptional period in world history,” noting the critical risks posed by the pandemic.
The meeting was led by lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo of the BARMM’s Ministry of Interior and Local Government and United Nations (UN) Philippines Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) Gustavo Gonzalez.
Sinarimbo briefed the conference participants about the status of the region’s isolation facilities and deployment and vaccination plans, and informed them that there are 114 active Covid-19 cases within the BARMM.
He acknowledged the support of the UN agencies in the areas of “social protection, child protection, human trafficking, gender-based violence, disaster risk response and management, poverty registry and information management system.”
Gonzalez assured that the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) are strongly supporting the Duterte administration’s efforts in responding to the pandemic. This includes readiness protocols and assessing vaccination plans to make sure these are truly responsive.
He said support agencies like the WHO and UNICEF are ready to consult and coordinate with the BARMM in streamlining disaster response mechanisms.
The two agencies have so far engaged 2,000 health workers to disseminate correct information about vaccines and pandemics. (PR)
