PALO Leyte--The heavy rains did not dampen the spirits of the participating groups and individuals of MaBaHinHil Inter-local health Zone as they hold its first ever COVID 19 Resbakuna Caravan on 9 August 2021 along the main roads of Matalom down in Hindang Leyte.

MaBaHinHil ILHZ is composed of the municipalities of Matalom, Bato, Hilongos and Hindang, all in the Province of Leyte.

Joining the caravan are from LGUs with national government agencies operating in the municipalities such as Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau oof Fire Protection (BFP) among others participated in the caravan.

The caravan started from the far municipality of Matalom, Leyte passing by the municipalities of Bato and Hilongos and Hindang as its final destination. The activity was organized and facilitated Development Management Officer IV Dr. Vilma Amal- Estorba who is assigned in the ILHZ with strong support from the Leyte Provincial DOH Officer Dr. Antonio O. Ida and ably assisted by the DOH Human Resources for Health and the local health personnel.

The caravan ended in the municipality of Hindang, Leyte after which all participating LGUs returned to their respective municipalities to have their barangay to barangay caravan where BHWs, BNSs and other volunteer workers awaits the caravan.
The caravan aims to increase greater awareness among people in the ILHZ to submit themselves to the ongoing COVID 19 vaccination in their respective municipalities following the priority lists, schedules, and exercising minimum public health standards.

The municipalities of Matalom, Hilongos and Hindang are home of NNC 8 Green Banner Awardees for Outstanding Nutrition Implementation with both Hindang and Hilongos bagged the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner for Nutrition (CROWN). Moreover, the municipality of Hindang almost got the Nutrition Honor Award (NHA).

Meanwhile, the ILHZ caravan is hoped to be replicated in other inter local health zones in Leyte and in the entire region to decrease COVID 19 vaccine hesitancy thereby increasing vaccination coverage. The country hopes to achieve an 80% or more vaccination proportion if we want to achieve a herd immunity.

Herd immunity', also known as 'population immunity', is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection.

World Health Organization (WHO) supports achieving 'herd immunity' against COVID 19 through vaccination, not by allowing a disease to spread through any segment of the population, as this would result in unnecessary cases and deaths. #NPC CPDotollo