The Department of Health (DOH) will be launching on Wednesday the week-long “Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special Vaccination Days” to intensify the immunization program of the government against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Glen Ramos, DOH Center for Health Development Ilocos Region media relations officer, said the campaign will focus on areas with a high target population for higher immunization coverage, and conduct social preparation for the identified priority age groups through barangay officials and municipal health officers.

“It also aims to deploy more vaccination teams and establish more mobile vaccination and temporary outreach posts, integrate immunization in other public services and programs provided in the community, establish hospital vaccination sites and mobilize hospital vaccination teams, and organize all national government agencies and local counterparts and ensure vaccination of all government employees,” he said.

The government will also mobilize all civil society organizations and private sector partners and encourage local government units (LGUs) with the assistance of private partners to provide incentives to vaccinees and vaccination teams, he added.

DOH Ilocos regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco said the campaign will implement the settings-based approach in the Covid-19 vaccination, making the vaccines more accessible to the people.

“This is also to ensure that the targets for the first 100 days will be achieved. The ‘Bakunahang Bayan’ will continue to bring vaccines in the communities, including workplaces, malls, markets, terminals, plazas, and churches,” she said.

Sydiongco said the “No Wrong Door Policy” shall be adopted, meaning all individuals who want to avail of the Covid-19 jab will be accommodated in any vaccination site provided they present their inoculation cards.

“For those who cannot avail of the vaccine on weekdays for whatever valid reasons, they can now proceed to any vaccination site during the weekends,” she added.

As of Sept. 25, some 1.2 million were inoculated with a booster dose or 30 percent of the target population in the region, 3.8 million or 88 percent of the target were fully immunized, 4 million or 93 percent availed of the first dose, while the 447,322 senior citizens or 88 percent received the full dose of the vaccine.

The DOH launched the PinasLakas vaccination campaign on July 26 this year following the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to vaccinate 90 percent of the senior citizens with full dosage, and 50 percent of the eligible population to receive the first booster dose. (PNA)