MIRI – Sarawak urgently needs more mobile Covid-19 vaccination facilities to hasten the pace of inoculation of its three million plus population – including migrant workers.
The bid by the University College of Technology (UCT) Sarawak in Sibu to convert its campus buses into mobile vaccination units has been lauded by netizens, enabling swift vaccinations to be carried out in semi-rural villages and longhouses that are only accesible by road.
Connie Nureng said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee should be as innovative as the university college.
“The idea is a good one. Using a big bus converted into a vaccination centre will allow mobile health teams to move around from village to village and longhouse to longhouse that have road links.
“This should have been done months ago by the state Disaster Management Committee but it was the university college that came up with the idea and showed the way,” she said in a social media exchange with Public Health Assistant Minister and Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee.
Miri teacher Maryanne Vaz also applauded the innovative idea. She shared The Vibes’ story on the roll-out in her Facebook posts and social media chat-groups.
“Using a big bus to carry out mobile vaccination should be a feature extended to all urban and semi-rural districts in Sarawak where there are good roads. This will definitely hasten the pace of vaccination and get Sarawakians herd immunity faster,” she said.
Another social media user, Patrick Ting pointed out that bringing the vaccine to the outskirts using big buses will help prevent overcrowding at vaccination centres in cities and towns.
Similarly, state Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian also praised the move on his social media, saying that it will enable health teams to reach out and dispense the vaccines swiftly.
UCT yesterday successfully converted its campus buses in Sibu district into mobile Covid-19 vaccination facilities to help hasten the vaccination in this coronavirus-ravaged district.
Dr Annuar yesterday said the college was allotted two buses for the purpose.
He said the buses will bring mobile health teams to the surrounding villages and longhouses where they will inoculate the population through walk-in registrations.
“The vaccination process is being enhanced in the town and outside the town via outreach rounds.
“The college buses have been converted into vaccination facilities to bring the vaccination teams to the villages and longhouses outside the town. This will help the vaccination process as it will avoid the queues at the vaccination centres inside the town,” he had said on his social media.
People in Sibu who had waited in vain for months for their shots had thronged by the hundreds to mass vaccination centres last week hoping to get a vacant slot.
After desperately waiting for their respective MySejahtera appointments for Covid-19 jabs, the frustrated folks then decided to wait in long queues for hours, hoping to be allowed into the vaccination centres.
Sibu resident Angela Kuek had told The Vibes that the long-wait for a vaccination date was very frustrating.
“Hundreds of desperate residents are going to the vaccination centres daily even though they have not been allotted a slot for the vaccine injection.
“They are hoping against odds that there will be extra stock of vaccines available in these vaccination centres and that they can be called into the centre despite not having a MySejahtera appointment date.
“Many have waited since February but they have not secured any date for vaccination even though they registered via MySejahtera four months ago,” she had said.
Kuek herself only recently managed to get her first dose.
However, she said many of her neighbours and church friends have not received any injection date as yet.
Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting had said that it is futile to queue up by the hundreds outside these vaccination centres.
“There were reports that many people were waiting outside, such as at the Sibujaya community hall vaccination centre. However, only those who have a confirmed appointment are allowed to enter the gate.
“Those who are outside the fence are those hoping to get a call to vaccinate, they don’t have any appointment. All must go through MySejahtera in PPV (vaccination centre) Sibujaya. If you do not have an appointment, don’t go. Wait for your turn when MySejahtera notifies you,” he said.
Sibu, along with Kuching, Miri and Bintulu are the worst-hit urban districts in Sarawak in terms of daily Covid-19 infections and deaths. – The Vibes, July 1, 2021
