SIBU – A total of 101 out of 121 homeless people registered for the Homeless Community Vaccination Programme in Sarawak have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, with 42 of them having completed the vaccination, said state Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Child Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said the programme was launched to ensure no one is left out of the vaccination programme towards achieving herd immunity in the state.
“No matter who or where they are, we want to get them vaccinated,” she told reporters at a vaccination programme for the homeless here last night.
The programme has been ongoing in nine administrative divisions in the state since July 25, with the collaboration of several state and federal government agencies.
Fatimah said the problem of homeless people was complex and could not be addressed in silos, but through an integrated, collaborative, collective, and holistic approach.
Towards this end, she said, the state government has approved the setting up of transit points for the homeless in several towns under the 12th Malaysia Plan, such as in Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu.
“The points will serve as places for the homeless to clean themselves, have dinner, sleep, and get necessary intervention, such as counselling,” she added.
Fatimah said such a facility is being built in Sibu, expected to be ready by the end of the month.
The facility in Bintulu is at the Bintulu Development Authority guest house in Kg Kamunting, she added. – Bernama, September 7, 2021
