Sacol Islanders vaccinated

HUNDREDS OF residents from Landang Gua, Pasilmanta, Landang Laum and Busay had been vaccinated against Covid-19 after Mayor Beng Climaco dispatched a team of medical frontliners from the City Health Office (CHO) to Sacol Island off Zamboanga to ensure the inhabitants are also protected from the deadly disease.

Residents of Sacol Island are vaccinated against the deadly Covid-19 respiratory disease. (Giana Andrion)

Over 400 people were inoculated by the CHO after the local government held a vaccine information campaign on the island and explained the importance of the medicine in fighting the spread of the virus. 

The campaign, spearheaded by the local government’s Communication and Demand Generation Team, effectively addressed disinformation and fake news about Covid-19 on the island.

Even Dr. Mamat Cham, a World Health Organization (WHO) Public Health Consultant, allayed fears that vaccines are harmful to human health. “It is not true that we will lose our sanity and our lives will be limited to two years after we are vaccinated,” he said.

One of Climaco’s Executive Assistants, Jojo Abdusalam, also helped in convincing islanders in getting themselves vaccinated. He said the local government is working hard to fight disinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the efficacy of the vaccines by engaging different sectors and communities and helping residents come up with informed decisions.

The information drive was in collaboration with the Office of the Barangay Affairs, the Integrated Resource Development for Tri-People, the Philippine Navy and Marines and the Barangay Councils on Sacol Island. The Communication and Demand Generation Team was also joined by Vilmar Marquez, also an executive assistant of Climaco; Joan Saure of the Manicahan Health District, Nicole Iturralde of CHO, Mark Demirin and Al-Guin Ajijul, and Landang Gua Barangay Chairman Ben Insani, among others. (Zamboanga Post)