PRC volunteers brave remote areas to bring Covid vaccines

ILIGAN CITY - While many people living in urban areas across the country have been inoculated against deadly Covid-19 respiratory disease, there remains a significant number of people living in the hinterland of Mindanao who are yet to be vaccinated, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

 

PRC volunteers in Iligan City.

It said this is primarily because many are unable to bear the cost of travelling to a vaccine center in the city while others fear getting the vaccination owing to misinformation and lack of awareness. As a result, their families and communities remain vulnerable to the threat of Covid-19.

Oliver Baton, a resident of Digkilaan village, which is a 45-minute drive from Iligan City, said that transport is expensive and taking a day off from work is a luxury they cannot afford. “Even if we want to get inoculated, the city is far from here and we would have to spend about P200 on the fare. We’d rather tend to our farms and stores than spend an entire day to get vaccinated and lose our income for that day,” the 28-year-old storekeeper said. 

To help Baton and other residents from rural areas, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) here is helping the local government to conduct vaccination drives in all the villages. Since the launch of the vaccination drive in January, the National Society has administered 41,959 doses (including first, second and booster shots) in and around Iligan City. 

Supporting this effort, the ICRC is providing financial assistance to the PRC to acquire equipment for cold-chain storage, personal protective equipment kits and medicines. The money is also used to provide a small allowance to PRC volunteers. 

“Vaccinating those who live in far-flung places is essential for building herd immunity. But, besides the issue of cost and inconvenience, some people refuse to get the vaccine because of fears triggered by misinformation. Until this is addressed, the pandemic may go on for a long time,” said Michelle Emee Vanguardia, the PRC’s health representative in Iligan. 

The vaccination drive is also a way for the PRC volunteers to educate residents and debunk vaccine myths, according to Vanguardia, who said that by going to the areas and directly engaging with the community, volunteers clarify bits of false information and convince people to get inoculated while also making the vaccines accessible. 

“People in far-flung areas and urban slums should not be forgotten while implementing vaccination programmes, even if it means taking the vaccine to them. In the fight against Covid-19, no one is safe until everyone is safe,” she said, adding residents also receive vaccination counselling, consultation with a doctor and some medicines to relieve possible side effects. 

The 35-year-old teacher, Ivy Tomarong who is also from Digkilaan village, said she and her colleagues were encouraged to get the Covid-19 vaccine. “Preventing the spread of Covid-19 is a collective effort and we can contribute by getting the vaccine. Initially my colleagues were hesitant, but when they saw that I did not experience any severe side effects after getting my first dose they were also convinced,” she said. (Mindanao Examiner)