ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 20 April) – The province of Lanao del Sur aims to vaccinate by Wednesday 2,600 Meranaws who intend to join the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia in the third week of June.
Dr. Alinadir Minalang, chief of the Provincial Health Office, said the pilgrims are now being administered the first dose of the Sinovac. The three-day vaccination campaign for the pilgrims is expected to be finished on Wednesday, he added.
He said the delegation will also include a medical team from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.
Minalang said that aside from the pilgrims, they are also now catering to priority groups belonging to the A1 category (frontline health workers) and A2 (senior citizens) for their second dose. He said that as of Monday, 341 individuals have been vaccinated at the provincial capitol gymnasium. The vaccination will run until Wednesday.
“Vaccination is allowed during Ramadan since it does not pass through the mouth or body orifice and does not provide nutrients so it won’t void one’s fasting,” Minalang noted.
In Lanao del Norte, meanwhile, vaccination for those planning to join the hajj to Mecca will be conducted on Wednesday at the covered court in the municipality of Balo-i, according to Dr. Marujita Isabel Lao-Opamen, acting Provincial Health Officer. (Richel V. Umel / MindaNews)
