I REFER to news reports that the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force has opened mega-sized vaccination centres at Mitec and Axiata Arena, besides a few more mega centres in the Klang Valley. While the intention of using bigger venues is to get more people vaccinated, proper monitoring and a clear communication strategy is required to prevent new Covid-19 clusters, besides ensuring the vaccination process is simple and accessible to all, especially the senior citizens and the vulnerable groups.
“Tiring, confusing, hot, no guide, no one to help” – these were some of the initial reactions of senior citizens in phase two of the immunisation plan who received their vaccine doses at one of the earlier four vaccination centres (Manjalara, Desa Tasik, Muhibbah, and Titiwangsa) in Kuala Lumpur. In contrast with this scenario, it is consoling to know that the newly opened mega centres are now carrying out the vaccination process in a systematic manner, catering to the needs of senior citizens and people with special needs.
This is the biggest mass vaccination exercise that Malaysia has ever carried out, and we cannot expect things to be perfect, but we still need to put things in order. There should be no difference in the service rendered to people who come forward to get vaccinated regardless of their age.
Generally, senior citizens in their 60s, 70s, and 80s are not so tech-savvy. Some of them do not have handphones, some are unable to walk, some cannot stand for too long, some are unable to read the signages, and some have hearing impairments. These are the very people who need ushers and guides to show them what to do, help them fill in consent forms, and guide them with the registration process.
Some of these senior citizens do not have smartphones (with the MySejahtera app), and their children or relatives have registered for them via the website www.vaksincovid.gov.my. Hence, why not simplify the registration process at vaccination centres? Verification using MyKad would make things easier for these senior folks.
Initially, when we signed up for vaccination and were asked to key in our current home locations, many of us had the impression that we would be sent to the nearest community halls, schools, or Klinik Kesihatan, whichever is possible, given the challenging requirements for vaccine storage.
But what we see now is senior citizens being sent to centres far from their homes. Getting to vaccination centres is already a big hurdle for many, especially when they are given centres far away. Some senior citizens can no longer climb the steps in a bus, and not every residential area is located near LRT stations. Travelling to vaccination centres 25 kilometres away may easily cost around RM50 to and fro via Grab. So an ordinary citizen has to easily fork out RM100 or more to get fully vaccinated. If the newly opened mega centres are further from the recipients’ homes, it would mean higher transport fares for them to get there. It is worse for those who have to travel more than two or three hours to reach their vaccination centres, which is not only time-consuming but an added expense for them.
During this pandemic crisis, every cent counts. Giving our elders the runaround is disheartening and inconsiderate. Some senior citizens stay alone or far from their children and family members, and there is no one to take them to their designated vaccination centres.
Have necessary arrangements, dedicated resource team
We have witnessed high levels of enthusiasm during elections, including candidates seeking support door-to-door and arranging transport for voters to get to polling stations. Similar mechanisms should be employed in this vaccination exercise to reach the masses. The MPs of every constituency and officers from local councils/district offices should get their act together, galvanise their efforts, and mobilise all available resources at ground level to transport senior citizens and vulnerable groups (disabled, migrants, nursing home folks, dialysis patients, etc.) to vaccination centres, or make arrangements for vaccination at homes. Local leaders and MPs should be able to access the database so that they can make necessary arrangements and facilitate members of the public allotted vaccinations, and find out how they can assist further.
There should also be a dedicated resource team, not some automated voice recording, that answers public queries and checks with vaccine recipients if they need assistance to get to vaccination centres.
When you try calling (read: countless times) the current hotline number 1800 888 828, you find that the call either does not go through, is engaged, or you are asked to go on a live chat instead. We need the conventional two-way phone conversation method to reach the masses, no two ways about it. At a time when there is so much confusion regarding changes in appointment dates, to whom can the public address their queries if the national hotline number is put on voicemail? On top of that, senior citizens registered in February have still not been called up for their appointments. Only a phone conversation with the resource team can allay their fears of missing appointments.
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” Let us make the vaccination process simple, accessible, and as humane as possible so that more people are encouraged to turn up for their vaccination appointments. Only then we can achieve our target of reaching herd immunity. – The Vibes, June 12, 2021
Dr S. Mathana Amaris Fiona is a PhD graduate with research interests in science communication, science & technology studies, and research ethics.
