Health authorities in Negros Oriental are gearing up for a massive information and dissemination campaign to draw public acceptance for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines as the country prepares to roll out its inoculation campaign in the coming weeks.

Assistant provincial health officer Dr. Liland Estacion reiterated Wednesday they are awaiting the arrival of campaign materials from the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas and hoping that these can be distributed to the different local government units (LGUs) by Friday (Feb. 26).

There is a need to drum up support and cooperation from the LGUs to convince the constituents that the vaccines are safe and are necessary for the province to minimize the spread of the virus, she said.

She admitted there is resistance from the populace, and said there is a need for additional information dissemination on the benefits of the vaccines.

Even the ongoing measles, rubella, and oral polio vaccine (MR-OPV) immunization campaign in Negros Oriental has so far fallen short of its target, she said.

The province was supposed to achieve at least 90 percent of its target for the MR-OPV in the first two weeks of February.

Estacion, however, disclosed a low turn-out of 41 percent in the MR-OPV Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA).

Many mothers have apparently refused to have their children immunized for these diseases due to misinformation that the vaccination drive is for Covid-19 instead of measles, rubella, and polio. (PNA)