By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Victorias City topped the 31 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental in vaccination performance and nearing herd immunity with 36,367 residents already fully vaccinated or 56.58 percent of its target of 64,274.
In data dated December 10 released by Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, Victorias City was followed by La Carlota City with 23,879 of its residents fully vaccinated or 50.67 percent of target population; Pulupandan with 9,580 or 47.26 percent; EB Magalona with 21,313 or 46.34 percent; and Silay City with 38,593 or 41.60 percent.
The LGU with the lowest vaccination performance is the town of Hinoba-an with only 5,510 of its residents fully vaccinated or 13.27 percent. The town has a target of 41,432.
In all Negros Occidental has 504,213 fully vaccinated resident or 27.62 percent of its target of 1,825,270.
Diaz said that to augment the vaccination program in the second round of the national vaccination drive the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) has sent 11 vaccination teams composed of three nurses and an information technology personnel.
For the provincial government it has 14 vaccination teams.
He said the two DOH vaccination teams will be deployed each in Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, and Bago City.
One vaccination team will be assigned in Himamaylan City, Cauayan, Sipalay City, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, and Toboso as the said areas are still lagging behind in their vaccination rate.
“They are given special attention both by the provincial government and the DOH regional office in terms of additional manpower,” he added.
“Residents of far flung areas in these LGUs still have vaccine hesitancy because they are not reached by our information dissemination,” he also said.
Diaz added the provincial government is intensifying its campaign both in mainstream media and social media with video and voice clips of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Manila-based actors campaigning to urge Negrenses to have themselves vaccinated./DGB, WDJ