BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Provincial Inter Agency Task Force action officer Rayfrando Diaz reported yesterday that about 417,000 of the 1.8 million Negrenses targeted for inoculation have already been vaccinated as of this time.
The Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development reported that Negros Occidental has the greatest number of unvaccinated persons in Region 6, with 1.39 million Negrenses left unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Diaz explained that that the number of unvaccinated individuals depends on the target for inoculation, which is 1.8 million in Negros Occidental. “If your target is high and greater than other provinces, naturally, the number of persons left unvaccinated is big, he said.
Based on the same report of DOH-WV, Negros Occidental ranked second in terms of ranking of fully vaccinated persons, with 303,640 individuals fully inoculated, he also said.
The reason why we are ranked second, Diaz said, is because of the late arrival of vaccines, with big supplies of Moderna, Pfizer and Sinovac simultaneously arriving on the first week of October.
But he said local government units are catching up as they exert more efforts to utilize all the vaccines supplied by the national government. As soon as we fully use all the vaccines, we ask for additional vaccines until our target of 1.8 million will be achieved as soon as the soonest time possible.
Diaz also lauded the efforts of LGUs, especially the top performers, including cities of Silay, Victorias, Talisay and Cadiz. “Where the vaccines are required, where it is welcomed, we will give it to them”, he added.
He admitted the vaccination program of the province is not on target due to the late arrival of supply. But Diaz thanked the DOH and the national government for the hundreds of thousands of vaccines that recently arrived, including the 400,000 doses of Moderna and Pfizer.
HOSPITAL, QUARANTINE FACILITY OCCUPANCY
Diaz also reported that the occupancy of COVID-19 quarantine facilities is also going down, with 52 at the EB Magalona healing facility, 16 in Cadiz and 22 in Silay City.
The Cadiz District Hospital is 95 percent occupied with COVID-19 patients, 74 percent at the Valeriano Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital in Himamaylan City, as well as 69 percent at the Valladolid District Hospital, he added.*
