ASTRAZENECA VACCINES. Health officials of Region 12 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao inspect the 41,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived via Awang Airport in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, on Wednesday (March 10, 2021). Region 12 received 35,000 doses of the vaccine while BARMM had 6,000 doses, respectively. (Photos by PNA Cotabato)
AWANG, AIRPORT, Maguindanao – The first batch of anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) AstraZeneca vaccines intended for medical front-liners of Region 12 (Soccsksargen) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao arrived here Wednesday via a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila.
The vaccine doses form part of a large AstraZeneca anti-Covid-19 vaccine delivery in Manila last week, as committed by the COVAX Facility to the Philippines.
Arjohn Gangoso, speaking for the Department of Health-12, said a total of 3,500 vials good for 10 doses each, arrived for the region’s health workers.
“These vaccines will immediately be delivered to our health workers in Region 12,” Gangoso said.
On the other hand, the BARMM received 600 vials for 10 doses each or 6,000 doses intended for the 3,000 health workers in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
“Each health worker is bound to receive an initial dose and a follow-up dose after 28 days,” Ministry of Health Minister Dr. Amirel Usman told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview.
A separate 4,000 doses for the BARMM island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi will be delivered via Zamboanga City, Usman added.
Last week, the initial delivery of 17, 940, and 4,200 vials of the China-made Sinovac vaccines also arrived here for health workers in both regions.
Andrew Morris, the chief of the United Children’s Fund–Mindanao field office, said the COVAX Facility is an international partnership established to ensure equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world.
The Philippines is among the first countries in Southeast Asia to receive vaccines from the COVAX Facility.
Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Abuhuraira Udasan issued a religious guideline dated March 6 emphasizing that vaccines are for healing and are generally lawful as a preventive measure.
“On the issue of the anti-Covid-19 vaccine, it is the Health Authority that has the final decision whether it is safe to get vaccinated or not,” Udasan said. (PNA)
