THE National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), Pertubuhan Malaysian Women’s Action for Tobacco Control and Health (MyWatch) and other partner community service organisations will begin assisting the Ministry of Health Malaysia in its vaccine outreach programme soon.
This segment of the vaccine outreach programme will involve house-to-house vaccination of severely ill patients, bed-bound patients and people with special abilities. It will include those with cancer and other chronic diseases who are unable to travel to public vaccination centres.
Both NCSM and MyWatch will commit their resources and mobilise volunteers for this purpose.
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have worked continuously to ensure that all chronic disease patients including those with cancer have been able to continue receiving care, as well as to run many initiatives to provide care and comfort to them during this time.
"When the Ministry of Health reached out to us to assist them in this initiative, we did not hesitate. Supporting vaccination of these members of the community will help us get our nation back on track quicker,” said Datuk Dr Saunthari Somasundaram, president of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.
“We (the NGO community) have supported national pandemic efforts through many ways from providing equipment and PPE to MOH hospitals; right down to food aid for the B40 and ill patients.
"Supporting the vaccination efforts is one of our country’s greatest needs now, and we are always ready to serve,” added Roslizawati Md Ali, president of MyWatch.
The vaccine outreach programme will be coordinated by Bahagian Pembangunan Kesihatan Keluarga, Ministry of Health Malaysia and will be rolled out in phases nationally.
Call for volunteers
NCSM and MyWatch call for willing and ready volunteers to support the house-to-house outreach programme.
Volunteers can be both healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, MAs and others) or non-healthcare professionals (any member of the public). They especially welcome retired health personnel or young professionals who have just graduated.
Schedules will be aligned to ensure that even volunteers who can contribute one day a week can assist and take part.
Fill this form online available here to volunteer: bit.ly/volvcncsm
For details, contact: [email protected] or call 03-26987300 (Navi)
Call for registration for severely ill, bed-bound and specially-abled individuals at home
NCSM and MyWatch also call for individuals caring for those who are severely ill, bedbound and specially-abled individuals to register the person they are caring for to be included in the vaccine outreach programme.
The list of registered individuals will be assessed and confirmed by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. NCSM and MyWatch would like to clarify that we have no input or control of the patient selection process but are serving to help register patients who may have not yet done so.
Fill the online form to register the individual you care for here: bit.ly/indvcncsm
For details, contact: [email protected] or call the toll-free helpline at 1800-88-1000 (in English, Malay, Mandarin or Tamil). – The Vibes, June 7, 2021
